"The staff at the Hyperbaric Oxygen Unit at the PoW Hospital, Randwick NSW"

I was attending Hyperbaric Oxygen treatment at the Prince of Wales Hospital Richmond NSW. On day one of my treatment I, like all patients attending treatment in the hyperbaric chamber, are advised of dangers, although rare, some of which are extremely rare, it required patients be advised of the dangers and to sign their consent to undergo treatment in the chamber.

On the positive side, although it is standard practice to advise worst case scenarios, it is comforting to me to know from day one, that you will not be alone in the chamber, as a trained nurse is in the chamber sharing the same danger with you should something go wrong.

So into the chamber I went for the very first time, among with a blanket and a nurse operator who obviously knew what she was doing. The first 10 minutes is spent squeezing your nose and popping the eardrums as the pressure drops to 40 feet below sea level.

On the way down it gets so hot you wonder what’s the blanket for.  Your Oxygen masks go on and after another 10 minutes you’re glad they gave you a blanket. The metal chamber does creak and groan as it’s going down and the temperature drops.

Five days later, so far so good. That day we had two Nurses at the helm, one had 15 years chamber experience, the other had obviously been trained but this was only her 2nd day in a live chamber as we headed 40 feet below sea level.

About an hour later it happened.  A patient had an Oxygen seizure. When you are at 40 feet below sea level you just can’t open the door and get instant Help.

 But we were in good hands. Our senior Nurse knew exactly what treatment and procedures was required.  Both Nurses got to work, applied the correct treatment whilst at the same time communicating with the control room and keeping the rest of us in the chamber well informed and reassuring us the patient is ok and we are all safe.

The pressure was balanced and a Doctor was able to join us all in the chamber and the patient removed from the chamber. The rest of us continued with our session.

The most impressive and comforting thing from the whole incident, is the fact that the senior Nurse although having 15 years chamber experience, being assisted by a younger Nurse in only her 2nd time in a live chamber, it was the first time in 15 years our senior nurse has ever had to treat a patient having a seizure within a chamber.

Well done ladies. Impressive 

So if you ever have to attend Hyperbaric Oxygen treatment in the future, be aware of what may happen but also be aware that for our senior Nurse, this event had never occurred in the past 15 years in a chamber. 

In addition this was not a mechanical issue,  it was just something that happened to one particular patient.

Also even better news, that particular Patient was back in the chamber the very next day under safe modified Oxygen setting as required.