Important Notice (August 17, 2022):
At our last Education Committee meeting in Reno, Nevada, May 23, 2022, the Education Committee voted to approve the livestream option indefinitely for UHMS-Designated Introductory 40-Hour Training Courses. While the format change was met with some challenges, the livestream format proved that our virtual educational programs could still be effective, maintain the UHMS quality and standards, and allow access to more learners who might not have been able to travel to be in-person. This approval does not come easy, as it is imperative that we evolve all components of our ICHM standards to ensure they maintain the highest quality, keep positive engagement with learners, and guarantee that objectives and needs are met with the livestream option, in the same way it was presented in person. The UHMS still does not recognize Introductory Training to be hosted in an online enduring material platform. While the UHMS now recognizes the livestream option indefinitely, it is up to each certifying organization and the individual facilities to determine their own credentialing requirements and policies.
What is a UHMS Designated Introductory Course in Hyperbaric Medicine?
UHMS approved introductory course training is expected to require a minimum of 40 hours of face-to-face or livestream hyperbaric medicine specific instruction, formal assessment upon completion, familiarization with hyperbaric equipment/operations, and must be documented by a certificate of completion. A UHMS-Designated Introductory Course in Hyperbaric Medicine shall cover the following elements: Historical Considerations, Physics of Hyperbaric Exposure, Mechanisms of hyperbaric oxygen, Air Decompression Procedures, UHMS Accepted Indications: Their Scientific Basis and Treatment Protocols, Side Effects and Contraindications, Patient Assessment and Management, Hyperbaric Chamber Systems, Hyperbaric Safety and Emergency Procedures, Administrative/ Management Issues, Familiarization with Hyperbaric Equipment/Operations, and a final examination and evaluation.
A UHMS Designated Introductory Course in Hyperbaric Medicine is designed to introduce physicians, nurses and technicians to the theory and practice of hyperbaric medicine. On May 21, 1998 the UHMS Board of Directors established the minimum content, duration, and quality of a UHMS Designated Introductory Course.
Basic Considerations for Determining the Elements
In establishing the minimum content and duration of a UHMS Designated Introductory Course, the Education Committee considered the following items:
