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Oxygen First Aid

OXYGEN FIRST AID

Skills and knowledge of oxygen first aid and Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) are invaluable to everyone throughout their lives. As divers, the safe and timely use of Oxygen equipment will prove to be vital in the event of an incident. The skills taught in this course will enable you to assist in the Oxygen First Aid of an accident victim and manage the scene until professional medical assistance arrives. 

Commercial HSE First aid requirements for diving at Work:
As part of diver training and assessment, commercial divers in Great Britain are taught diving physiology (which includes the function of the nervous and musculoskeletal systems), and diving medicine (which includes decompression illness and ear problems). 
At the same time as the diver undertakes training and assessment, they will also be taught and assessed for separate first-aid and oxygen administration qualifications (oxygen administration is an essential element of diving first aid procedures). Both these qualifications will be valid for three years and renewal required thereafter. 

VITAL SKILLS 

With the OXYGEN FIRST AID Course at Puffin Dive Centre, you will gain vital skills building your confidence in your ability to help others in distress. The OXYGEN PROVIDER FIRST AID Course relates first aid to divers and combines basic first aid skills with those required to assist an injured diver.
The course is split into several modules and smaller sections to ensure that your practise time is maximised to give you the full “hands on” benefits of seeing and applying the skills in each individual case.

TECHNIQUES

Your Instructor will demonstrate the techniques step by step with the application of assembly of the O2 equipment and a demonstration of the delivery.   Following this, you will work together with the Instructor to put these early skills into simulated practice. 
The student rotates through the check list and delivery practice methodology whilst being guided by other members of the group under the tuition of the Instructor.  This is to emphasise and commit to memory the cycle of care and application of the O2 equipment.  
At Puffin Dive Centre, we have a range of O2 “rigs” from various boats and water related activities that users may come into contact with.  These are shown to ensure that whilst all rigs are not the same, most are similar and not at all complicated.

These important skills will be used every time you come to render any type of first aid for the rest of the course and in any real life scene of an accident.  It is a fact of life, that accidents do occur and during our significant time in Oban operating in the general sea area, we have been called upon, professionally, to provide oxygen and render assistance on dozens of occasions.  The observations by our staff appear to confirm that the vast majority of incidents either occur without the benefit of having oxygen available or have inefficient delivery systems and poor quantities, coupled with inexperienced or un-practiced crew or individuals.  
It is not good enough to merely have the qualification – it is necessary to have the practical capability which is part of the way that the course contents are delivered.  
During the course you will learn about the benefits of delivering 100% O2 to an injured diver and how to recognise signs and symptoms of diving related injuries like air embolism, near drowning and decompression sickness even when they are not immediately obvious.  
Consideration of the overall quantities relative to the proximity of safety is dealt with during the course and these skills are beneficial when carrying out expedition or boat activity or dive activities.  

You will be taught how to conduct a “5 minute” neurological test running through a series of quick and easy steps to establish possible signs and symptoms.  Another important skill, which you may have learnt in your Emergency First Response Course, is CPR where the victim is unconscious, not breathing and their heart has stopped. During the course you will show your mastery of CPR by doing a 10-minute demonstration (not as easy as it sounds!!) There is a refresher during the OXYGEN Course which allows you to remember and practice your EFR skills.  The emphasis of course is towards the Oxygen Provision in conjunction with the basic First Aid skills.  

SCENARIOS

Over the years we have become adept at realistic mock situations, involving role plays with you as the “managing” individual making the decisions as provider of care.  These help to reinforce the capability and practice allowing students more confidence to provide the care necessary in a real situation.

OXYGEN EQUIPMENT

You will learn in depth about oxygen equipment and the best options for different circumstances. You will be shown how to use several different oxygen units, because you might not always have one you have been trained on available.

Care and maintenance of oxygen equipment is also discussed showing you how to maintain the equipment in the best way and options on packaging and storage containers, so that in small and wet conditions the kit is protected and able to operate correctly when the time comes.
More specific to diving related first aid the OXYGEN FIRST AID Course uses all the skills you will have learnt through the Emergency First Response Course and then utilises these as you look into the theory and practical use of Oxygen as a first aid procedure for divers.
Remember you will be taken through a variety of diving 'accident' scenarios starting from a very basic level. As the scenarios develop into more complicated incidents things change and you need to respond to these changes. Your roles will vary from bystander to boat skipper!!

Even within a controlled classroom environment you will quickly see that the stress levels involved in such a serious incident are high and students regularly “break sweat” playing the part of the rescuer, but to your advantage now, you will have gained skills and valuable experience as you approach the end of the course. You will also have the opportunity, to view the Puffin Dive Centre set-up of Oxygen delivery equipment for the dive centre and for the fleet of Puffin Dive Centre diving vessels; we will talk you through the advantages and disadvantages of different oxygen equipment and give you the Puffin Dive Centre methodology for the systems and set-ups used. This will help you understand the benefits of owning your own O2 kit for personal diving.

Course syllabus:

  • Oxygen the gas
  • Oxygen & fire hazards
  • Diving Hazards - Causes & symptom recognition
  • Anatomy & Physiology Review
  • Oxygen kit breakdown and detailed scenario practice
  • CPR Review & Expired O2 CPR
  • Oxygen First Aid for 7 life threatening conditions
  • Effects of O2 on the body
  • Neurological examination
  • HSE Diving at work guidelines for Oxygen use
  • Final Scenarios
  • Final Exam