Certified Hyperbaric Technologist Test Hyperbaric Emergency Medicine 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A patient inside a monoplace chamber develops a tonic-clonic seizure consistent with CNS oxygen toxicity. What is the FIRST action the technologist should take?
- Begin a rapid emergency decompression immediately
- Maintain depth and wait for the seizure to subside before decompressing (Correct answer)
- Increase chamber oxygen to saturate tissues
- Open the chamber door at depth to ventilate
Correct answer: Maintain depth and wait for the seizure to subside before decompressing
Decompressing during the tonic phase risks pulmonary barotrauma and arterial gas embolism, so depth is held until the seizure resolves.
Question 2: Which gas is administered to switch a patient off oxygen during management of CNS oxygen toxicity in a multiplace chamber?
- 100% oxygen via demand valve
- Air breaks via the built-in breathing system (Correct answer)
- Pure nitrous oxide
- Carbon dioxide enrichment
Correct answer: Air breaks via the built-in breathing system
An air break lowers the inspired oxygen partial pressure, which terminates the toxic stimulus.
Question 3: A fire is the most catastrophic hyperbaric emergency primarily because the chamber atmosphere has an elevated:
- Humidity level
- Partial pressure of oxygen (Correct answer)
- Carbon dioxide concentration
- Nitrogen narcosis potential
Correct answer: Partial pressure of oxygen
Higher oxygen partial pressure dramatically increases the rate and intensity of combustion.
Question 4: What is the most appropriate immediate response to a chamber fire in a multiplace chamber?
- Open all gas valves to vent the chamber
- Activate the deluge/fire suppression system and begin emergency procedures (Correct answer)
- Increase depth to compress the flames
- Disconnect the grounding straps
Correct answer: Activate the deluge/fire suppression system and begin emergency procedures
The water deluge system is designed to rapidly extinguish a chamber fire and protect occupants.
Question 5: A diver presents with joint pain, skin mottling, and fatigue after a rapid ascent. This presentation is most consistent with:
- Carbon monoxide poisoning
- Decompression sickness (Correct answer)
- Nitrogen narcosis
- Oxygen toxicity
Correct answer: Decompression sickness
Joint pain and cutis marmorata following rapid ascent are classic signs of decompression sickness.
Question 6: During a hyperbaric treatment the chamber loses external power. The technologist should be prepared to:
- Abandon the patient and evacuate
- Switch to backup/manual control and continue a controlled treatment or decompression (Correct answer)
- Immediately blow the chamber to surface
- Wait for power without intervention
Correct answer: Switch to backup/manual control and continue a controlled treatment or decompression
Chambers have manual backup controls so a controlled decompression can continue safely during a power failure.
Question 7: Which finding would most strongly suggest arterial gas embolism rather than decompression sickness in a surfacing diver?
- Gradual onset of joint pain over hours
- Sudden loss of consciousness or stroke-like symptoms within minutes of surfacing (Correct answer)
- Itchy skin only
- Mild fatigue the next day
Correct answer: Sudden loss of consciousness or stroke-like symptoms within minutes of surfacing
AGE typically produces abrupt neurologic collapse immediately upon or shortly after surfacing.
Certified Hyperbaric Technologist Test Hyperbaric Emergency Medicine 2
A patient inside a monoplace chamber develops a tonic-clonic seizure consistent with CNS oxygen toxicity.
What is the FIRST action the technologist should take?