Over the past few weeks, new members of bank staff have been training and familiarising themselves with the hyperbaric chamber at DDRC Healthcare. Chamber staff train initially as chamber attendants looking after emergency and routine patients inside the chamber. Patients inside the chamber are administered 100% oxygen via a hood whilst under pressure in the chamber. Patients sit comfortably or lie on a stretcher if required and can speak easily to the attendant. Following the completion of this training chamber staff go on to actually operate or ‘drive’ the chamber and this is done outside the chamber at dive control.
Operating the Krug Hyperbaric Chamber
DDRC Healthcare employs full time chamber staff alongside bank staff which enables a 24hr on call emergency rota to be fulfilled. Many of the chamber bank staff are 2nd or 3rd year university students with an interest in diving and may be studying an ocean related degree.
One of our bank staff, Tudor, recently secured a full time job testing water quality in rivers local to Plymouth. Whilst this is good news for Tudor it means that we have lost a valued member of staff. Tudor wished to express his time here with us.
“I came to DDRC as a 2nd year Marine Biology and Oceanography student at the University of Plymouth.
It was pretty daunting as despite my diving background I had absolutely no medical experience! DDRC taught me a great deal of diving physics, human anatomy and care techniques in the guises of various training courses but the best perk was the people. I have never met such an impassioned, caring and fun group of people in my life. They really put their heart and soul into looking after the patients who are typically incredibly ill.
The patients at DDRC, despite much medical difficulty and pain, were inspiring to care for. They had such a positive outlook, much I feel imparted by the DDRC staff. DDRC reinforced to me that the smallest things make the biggest difference to people. I miss working there like mad and often go back in my off time.”