DAN Oxygen First Aid for Scuba Diving
Injuries
DANīs Oxygen First Aid for Scuba Diving Injuries Provider Course was designed
to fill the void in oxygen first aid training available for the general diving
public.
This course represents entry level training designed to educate the general
diving (and qualified non-diving) public in recognizing possible dive related
injuries and providing emergency oxygen first aid while activating the local
emergency medical services (EMS) and/or arranging for evacuation to the nearest
available medical facility.
In DANīs most recent dive accident record, less than 33% of injured divers
received emergency oxygen in the field. Few of those received oxygen
concentrations approaching the recommended 100%. DAN and all major diving
instructional agencies recommend that all divers be qualified to provide 100%
oxygen in the field to those injured in a dive accident.
Course Overview
The course is designed to train and educate the general diving public in the
techniques of using oxygen as first aid for a suspected dive injury. In
addition, this course will introduce novice divers to the fundamentals of
recognizing diving injury warning signs, response and management. This program
also provides an excellent opportunity for experienced divers and instructors to
continue their education.
The DAN Oxygen First Aid for Scuba Diving Injuries course is not designed to
train lay persons to provide oxygen to the general public. While the medical
standards and equipment are the same regarding the emergency use of oxygen for
both divers and non-divers, the DAN Oxygen Provider course does not prepare
individuals to respond to the ill or injured member of the general public by
using emergency oxygen.
Recommended Minimum
Hours of Training
Knowledge Development (Lecture) = 1 Hour
Skills Development (Practice) = 3 Hours
This course should be taught as a four-hour program. The time needed to teach
the course varies and depends on many factors including the number of students
and their ability to process the educational components of the program.
Instructors who want to include subjects or training beyond the course
requirements may do so only before or following the course. Any additional
training must not be required for completion of course requirements.
Learning Objectives
Course participants must be familiar with the signs and symptoms of major diving
injuries including near drowning and decompression illnesses (arterial gas
embolism and decompression sickness).
Course participants must demonstrate proper deployment, assembly,
disassembly, and use of all components of the DAN Oxygen Unit. This includes use
of the demand inhalator valve / mask, constant flow (delivering oxygen at least
15 lpm), non-rebreather mask and oronasal resuscitation mask with supplemental
oxygen inlet.
Course participants must complete the DAN Oxygen First Aid for Scuba Diving
Injuries examination with a minimum passing score of 80 percent. The instructor
will review the examination with each participant to ensure 100 percent
understanding of the material.
Skill Performance
Objectives
To successfully complete the DAN Oxygen Provider course, participants must
demonstrate skill and confidence during deployment, assembly and disassembly of
all parts of the DAN Oxygen Unit (or other acceptable units).
The course participant must demonstrate skill and confidence while providing
emergency oxygen to simulated injured divers by:
