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Hyperbaric Chamber Training Courses Available

By Janine Hughes


Divers have used recompression chambers for many years but it was only in the early 1960s that researchers became aware that these chambers could be used for patients suffering from various health problems. Pure oxygen breathed in at a pressure greater than the normal atmospheric pressure was found to accelerate healing. These chambers are now found in a number of hospitals and elsewhere where they are used to treat certain health problems. Hyperbaric chamber training courses have been developed to train physicians, nurses, technicians and other allied health care professionals.

Chambers are situated at a number of hospitals and other treatment centers. Some chambers are designed to accommodate a number of patients at the same time. They have two compartments that decompress and compress independently, allowing a multidisciplinary team to go into and out of the chamber without affecting the treatment of the patients. Each person is provided with oxygen via an individualized delivery system. Other chambers are designed to treat only one patient at a time.

Many different conditions benefit from treatment in these chambers. Problem wounds, acute thermal burns, decompression sickness, crush injuries and carbon monoxide poisoning are just some conditions that improve with treatment. The amount of time and length of treatment varies according to the condition being treated and treatment protocols have been established identifying safe time-dose limits.

A variety of courses are available, some associated with a particular hospital and others with organizations connected with promoting this type of therapy. It is vitally important to choose a course that is suitably accredited and formulated by those with the right credentials and experience. Cost, length and course content will obviously also play a part in making a decision as to which course to do.

Online courses are available and they can provide a solution for those who cannot physically attend lectures. Online courses today are very advanced, offering the latest learning materials and using many tools to enhance learning. They also offer an interactive learning environment with forums, discussion groups and instructors available to help.

The basics covered in such courses are aspects such as operations of chambers, oxygen toxicity, side effects and contraindications. Every aspect of patient care should be covered. It is not enough to just know the theoretical side as the practical aspects are very important. Both should be covered and knowledge should be reinforced with the use of slides, videos and other learning tools.

The type of content covered and the length of a course usually depends on the students it is designed for. Those with much prior experience in medicine will be able to do a basic course easily and progress on to more complex aspects. Physicians, nurses, respiratory therapists and others will all be learning at different levels and towards different goals. Certificates are issued on completion of most of the courses.

Patients need to feel confident that they are in the hands of a trained and certified team. Trained physicians are able to prescribe oxygen dosage and a course of therapy according to the diagnosis. Such treatment provides a valuable and unique therapy for certain medical conditions and is often used in conjunction with other surgical or medical treatments, particularly when they have been unsuccessful.




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