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Nursing in a hyperbaric chamber. Usefull for divers who get the bends (nitrogen narcosis), CO poisoning patients, and some say for wound healing. It is a rather special field, we have only one hyperbaric chamber in our whole city, maybe our state.

I don't know much else about it though.

Don't know if you are still looking for information but the following link has some useful information - it is often helpful in bloodless treatments as in for the treatment of Jehovah's Witnesses. The site gives details of many cases that it is used for:-

Hyperabric Oxygen Treatment

I have seen hybrebaric treatments in the hospital for wound healing. Increased partial pressures of oxygen are supposed to have a positive effect on difficult wounds. I have also seen where a whole team enters a large chamber and lavaged a womans lungs. Brutal invasive proceedure for bad empyema, but done in hyper oxygen setting and the pt did very well. I am interested in diving medicine. I will be an RN soon (gradutae may 2nd, and I love to scuba dive. I can't think of a better way to make a living. If anyone has any info on hyperbaric nursing/diving medicine/decompreesion theory, please let me know.

Mac

Mac, I used to work as an Inside Attendant in this unit for several years. A ton of published research has come from this unit, as well, which you can find with links from this site or with a Google search.

I'd also be happy to answer any questions you have about working in a hyperbaric unit.

Mac,

Check out Virginia Mason Medical Centre in Seattle, WA (www.vmmc.org). They have the only non-military fixed hyperbaric chamber in the region (maybe the only one in the region, period) and an entire department devoted to hyperbaric medicine and research. It is used for decompression treatment for the "bends"; hyperoxygenation of wound sites; CO poisoning treatment; and assorted other things. As a nursing specialty, it is both physically and mentally demanding and definitely very unique.

Ah, apologies to Stargazer. You already gave Mac the link to Virginia Mason. I was so excited about having something intelligent to say (doesn't happen often) that I didn't check to see that you had already said it. Cripes. Sorry.

There is a hospital in Kansas City with several chambers used for wound care and another hospital that has one for general use. A friend of mine runs the wound clinic that has the chambers. They are amazing devices and help the patients that use them.

I just read this post about the hospital in Kansas City. My aunt has been to a hospital in KC three times for wound care. Her first situation involved a case of staph infection in her arm. It was so bad, that the doctors in Topeka, KS. had amputation scheduled. My mom and I heard about the KC hospital, transferred her there, and her arm was better in about 2 months. She recently went back for another wound, and again the hyperbaric chamber helped her. The third time, the only thing that would help her was the hyperbaric again.

I am in nursing school in Oklahoma, and because of my aunt's experiences I am very interested in hyperbaric nursing and wound care.

I just thought you might be interested in my story.