Elements and Performance Criteria
- Elements define the essential outcomes
- Work in the hyperbaric environment
- Identify roles and responsibilities of members of the interdisciplinary health care team in the hyperbaric environment
- Identify potential and actual hazards involved with working in the hyperbaric environment and observe workplace health and safety requirements in own practice
- Identify rationale for pre-hyperbaric treatment safety checklists and participate pre-hyperbaric treatment safety processes
- Identify potential causes of emergencies associated with the hyperbaric chamber and hyperbaric treatment and use appropriate methods to prevent emergencies
- Apply knowledge of the hyperbaric chamber and locate main oxygen valve for situations or emergencies where the valve will need to be shut off
- Set up the specific hyperbaric chamber equipment for treatments correctly and use problem-solving skills during hyperbaric treatments.
- Identify actual and potential contraindications to hyperbaric therapy both for the person undergoing hyperbaric treatment and for the health care team members
- Undertake annual hyperbaric medical and promote this requirement with colleagues
- Contribute to holistic and specific assessment for hyperbaric treatment
- Perform holistic assessment of the person in conjunction with the interdisciplinary health care team using resources and tools specific to the hyperbaric unit in line with organisation policies and procedures
- Identify possible psychological and physical complications of hyperbaric treatment for the person including contraindications, based on findings of the person’s assessment
- Discuss physical, psychological and social impacts of hyperbaric treatment with the person, family or carer to ensure their knowledge is sufficient for them to make informed consent
- Identify when the acuity of a person is beyond own skills and knowledge and promptly consult with registered nurse and relevant interdisciplinary health care team members
- Perform nursing interventions in the hyperbaric environment
- Apply strategies for managing a person’s anxiety during hyperbaric therapy
- Monitor and manage a person’s drainage tubes including any interventions that relate to the use of suction in the hyperbaric chamber at depth and at surface
- Apply principles related to hyperbaric oxygen therapy when setting up and managing a range of breathing system in the hyperbaric chamber
- Perform wound management and record wound response to hyperbaric therapy and report to the interdisciplinary health care team
- Respond appropriately to hyperbaric emergencies or toxicity in line with organisation policies and procedures
- Use critical thinking and problem-solving approaches to propose and implement nursing interventions to reflect changes in the person’s condition, in consultation with registered nurse
- Evaluate nursing interventions provided and consider identified outcomes against evidence-based best practice in hyperbaric nursing care