Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy - Hyperbaric Chamber Information ...

Table 11 Minimum staffing levels by chamber type suggested by HOTFIG. 10
Staff
Hyperbaric Physician
Inside Attendant
Outside Attendant†
Patient
Type*
Monoplace
Multiplace
Single Lock Multilock
All Consultant hyperbaric physician
P1 Hyperbaric physician
P1 or P2 Not required Patient attendant – fit for pressure
P3 Not required Patient attendant – critical care trained and fit for
pressure
P1 Patient attendant Not required Patient attendant – fit for
pressure
P2 Patient attendant Patient attendant – fit for
pressure
P3 Patient attendant –
critical care trained
Patient attendant – fit for pressure
Chamber Operator†‡ P1 or P2 Monoplace
operator
Hyperbaric Technical Officer
P3 Hyperbaric Technical Officer
* HOTFIG patient type classification: P1 = elective / non-medical intervention patients, P2 = patients requiring adjunctive medical
intervention, P3 = critically ill patients. The medical director of the hyperbaric facility has responsibility for patient classification.
† The outside attendant and chamber operator can be the same person. However, at least one other person needs to be in the area during
treatments.
‡ During any monoplace therapy, a ratio of two chambers to one operator is the maximum allowed by HOTFIG.
Undersea and Hyperbaric Medicine Society (UHMS)
Guidelines for clinical hyperbaric facilities are available in the 1999 Committee Report of
the Undersea and Hyperbaric Medicine Society. 1 The report was cited as informing the
creation of HOTFIG. General guidelines appear as summaries of an earlier report by the
UHMS Operations Committee.
Clinical hyperbaric facility operations
UHMS recommends that clinical departments be hospital-based with available 24-hour
service. The Society recommends that treatment be limited to those indications approved
by the Society. Quality improvement programs should include technical and nursing
indicators and utilisation points.
Education of clinical hyperbaric staff
Practicing physicians should hold unrestricted licenses and be Board-eligible or Certified
in a recognised medical or surgical specialty. Nursing staff should likewise be licensed to
provide care. Technical staff are required to hold basic life support certification and
possess advanced education and experience relative to their positions. The Society
recommends that physicians, nurses, and technicians complete an approved course in
introductory hyperbaric medicine.
Staffing of clinical hyperbaric facilities
UHMS recommends that a minimum of two hyperbaric physicians be on the staff of any
full-time clinical hyperbaric medicine program, with one qualifying and assuming the
duties of Medical Director. A minimum of one certified hyperbaric nurse or certified
hyperbaric technician should be on duty in the clinical area at all times when a patient is
receiving treatment.
18 Hyperbaric oxygen therapy