Hyperbaric Technician

An Hyperbaric Technician is responsible for the HBOT treatment at an hyperbaric Chamber. An hyperbaric technician must know how to administer hyperbaric oxygen therapy to patients suffering from air/gas embolism, diver’s bends, cerebral edema, diabetes, chemotherapy and various types of poisoning.

An Hyperbaric Technician has many challenges at his job. Quite often, the Hyperbaric Technician is required to perform many different duties. A good Hyperbaric Technician must be able to do many jobs, from chamber operator, to systems engineer, to acting as an inside tender assisting patients in the chamber during treatments. Multitasking, while being able to stay focused, is an important and necessary skill of an Hyperbaric Technician.

An hyperbaric Technician needs to be certified to become a CHT – Certified Hyperbaric Technician. The certification is not an entry-level certification. In order to be a Certified Hyperbaric Technician, an individual needs to have an existing qualifying certification and/or work experience preferably medical-related. Qualifying fields include a respiratory therapist, diver medic, physician assistant, corpsman, emergency medical technician, paramedic, registered nurse, physician or a life support technician, among others.

An Hyperbaric Technician needs to complete an approved certification course in order to become certified. In addition a CHT needs 480 hours of clinical internship in undersea, hyperbaric or aviation medical technology.

During internship, the Certified Hyperbaric Technician learns the various chamber systems, standard and emergency operating procedures, safety standards and patient care in a hyperbaric chamber.

In order to keep the certification active, a Certified Hyperbaric Technician is required to have 12 continuing education credits every two years, six of which must be devoted to undersea, hyperbaric or aviation medicine. In order to be approved for recertification, a letter of recommendation as verification of at least 100 hours of continuing experience in the hyperbaric discipline by an employer, medical director or administrator is needed.

Reference : www.alertdiver.com