Finding Hyperbaric Chamber Training Courses

By Janine Hughes


It was not long ago that research began to show the health benefits of patients breathing in pure oxygen at a great pressure than normal. Chambers used for this purpose had been a part of diving operations for some time but had no other purpose. The discovery was made that this treatment increased the oxygen supply to the tissues and organs, accelerating healing. As this therapy becomes more popular, so hyperbaric chamber training courses have been developed to train health care professionals to administer it.

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.

Various courses are available for health care professionals who want learn more about this therapy. Some are basic and others more advanced. When choosing a course, the most important factor to consider is accreditation. It is important to establish the credentials of those who were involved in formulating the course. Other factors to bear in mind are cost, length and the method of teaching used.

Online courses provide a valuable means of achieving further education today for those who may be unable to physically attend a course. One of the fears people have when it comes to taking online courses is of not receiving enough help and having to battle alone to complete assignments. In fact, most of the online courses available today are very interactive and offer easy access to instructors.

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 length of such courses varies according to the amount of content covered and the experience level of the students. For example, some are specifically designed for those with prior knowledge. Courses may be specifically geared towards physicians, technologists, nurses, respiratory therapists and allied health care professionals. Most of these courses offer some kind of certification once a course is completed.

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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