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Choosing Hyperbaric Chamber Training Courses

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.

There are basically two main types of chambers, one which is designed for a single patient whilst the other can accommodate several patients at a time. There is enough space for patients to be comfortable and delivery of the oxygen is individualized. The team can enter and exit the chamber without compromising treatment due to separate compartments compressing and decompressing independently.

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.

Topics covered in the most basic courses will be those such as the workings of chambers, oxygen toxicity as well as contraindications and side effects. Some time should be spent focused on patient care and treatment for specific conditions. Most courses are well structured with a good balance between theory and the practical application. Assessment is often continuous rather than consisting of one exam.

These courses may cover different content and be more basic or advanced according to the type of health professional being trained. Physicians will require different courses to nurses and technologists to respiratory therapists. The certification offered also varies according to the type of course completed.

A well trained multi-disciplinary team is required by any hospitals with chambers as well as medical centers. Treatment is often used together with surgical and medical treatment and is often found to be helpful when other treatments are not so successful. Doing such a course opens up this relatively new arena of medicine and this work can be very fulfilling.




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