Hyperbaric Facility Safety Resources: Part 1

Online Resources Related to Hyperbaric Facility Safety

by Jeff Mize, RRT, CHT, CWCA
(Hyperbaric Facility Safety, A Practical Guide, Second Edition, Chapter 6: Best Publishing Company, Copyright © 2020

The development and continuation of a safety program for a hyperbaric facility can be arduous. The task(s) of initiating safety procedures, employing equipment maintenance policies, and implementing employee competency standards can leave the hyperbaric safety director buried in stacks of reference books, manuals, and files. 

Advances in technology have brought us smartphones, social networking, and real-time correspondence. Like it or not, they have made their way into the area of hyperbaric safety. The industry demand for instant access to the safety regulations, codes, and requirements has arrived! This chapter will provide an overview of the online resources available that can help you optimize your safety program.

Undersea and Hyperbaric Medical Society (UHMS) 
While only members have total access to society’s website (www.uhms.org), there is a wealth of information available to nonmembers. The site offers a wide range of infor-mation that should serve as a useful tool for the hyperbaric practitioner when seeking references or resources in the development and enhancement of the hyperbaric safety program. Sections on the UHMS site are briefly described to provide an overview of the content. The UHMS website includes information about the history of UHMS, commit-tees, the society’s constitution and bylaws, position statements, corporate partnerships,chapters of the UHMS, scheduled symposia, and educational opportunities as well as news and announcements.

Publications: The UHMS produces a number of publications, ranging from books to peer-reviewed journals (e.g., the UHM Journal) and newsletters. Information about purchase, subscription, and the availability to view online content is readily available, including UHMS Guidelines for Hyperbaric Facilities 2nd Edition While originally published as the UHMS Operations Committee Report in 2000, it was later revised and published as the UHMS Guidelines for Hyperbaric Facility Operations. It provides written guidance for operations, staffing, training, and safety within the hyperbaric facility. The references stated as recommendation for the development of hyperbaric facility operations in this publication will be an area of focus for review of online resources in this chapter. In addition, society members may access downloadable safety documents,safety articles, equipment articles, manufacturer notices, and other safety references.

Accreditation: A vital component to the accreditation process is the evaluation of the hyperbaric safety program. Hyperbaric facilities seeking accreditation will find necessary accreditation documents, specifically the accreditation application, presurvey questionnaire, and the most current accreditation manual. Hyperbaric centers that have received hyperbaric facility accreditation by the UHMS are listed by state or country.

Resources: As the name would imply, active UHMS members are able to access resources such as archived publications, news, announcements, links, and a frequently asked question section titled MEDFAQ. MEDFAQ is an invaluable tool that allows members to submit questions pertaining to safety/technical issues. There is a disclaimer stating that questions submitted will not be answered for 48 to 72 hours.

National Board of Diving and Hyperbaric Medical Technology (NBDHMT)
The NBDHMT is a nonprofit, certifying organization designed to meet the clinical, tech-nical, and safety needs of the discipline of UHM. The NBDHMT website (www.nbdhmt.org) should be in all hyperbaric safety and management team members’ toolbar. The NBDHMT website does not require membership and provides information about initial certification for diver medic (DMT), hyperbaric technologist (CHT), hyperbaric nurse(CHRN), and veterinary hyperbaric technologist (CHVT). NBDHMT position statements, continuing education requirements, certification confirmation, and a monthly briefing from the NBDHMT board president are available to all that access the site. 

EDUCATION & TRAINING
Wound Care Education Partners delivers nationally accredited, world-class educational courses. It is a professional medical education company comprised of specialized educators who are licensed and/or board certified in their area of expertise. WCEP focuses on providing high quality healthcare educational programs to medical facilities and clinics, home healthcare agencies and individuals by offering live accredited courses and a complete library of online CME/CNE/CEU accredited courses.

• Introduction to Hyperbaric Medicine - This course will provide you with basic training or continuing education in hyperbaric medicine and meets the CMS requirements for physician supervision and billing. It is a precursor to getting the UHMS PATH or either the NBDHMT certification of added qualification or the ABWH certificate of added qualification.
• Introduction to the Role of Hyperbaric Safety - This program benefits those new to the hyperbaric safety director position by orienting them to the responsibilities as defined by the NFPA, UHMS and other organizations. In addition, the course is a great review for current hyperbaric safety directors and seasoned technicians by providing updates to NFPA code and industry standards. This course is intended for a wide audience of health care providers involved in the provision of hyperbaric medicine, including the registered nurse, certified hyperbaric registered nurse, nurse practitioner, clinical nurse specialist, registered respiratory therapist, certified hyperbaric technician, physician, physician's assistant, EMT’s and paramedics.
• The Business of Wound Care and Hyperbaric Medicine - This course is specifically designed to support clinic administrators, medical directors, and hospital executives in marketing and administrating a hyperbaric and wound care center in a manner that supports positive patient outcomes and long-term successful business operations.

PUBLICATIONS
For more resources on Hyperbaric Medicine, Hyperbaric Safety, Dive Safety, connect with Best Publishing Company at https://www.bestpub.com/