CHS Patient Safety & Risk Management 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A patient with a pacemaker is referred for hyperbaric oxygen therapy. What is the primary safety concern that must be assessed?
- The pacemaker may cause electrical interference with chamber monitoring equipment
- Increased oxygen concentration may corrode the pacemaker casing
- The pacemaker must be verified as pressure-tolerant to the treatment depth (Correct answer)
- Hyperbaric pressure will accelerate battery depletion in the pacemaker
Correct answer: The pacemaker must be verified as pressure-tolerant to the treatment depth
Pacemakers must be verified as pressure-tolerant to the planned treatment depth, as some devices may malfunction under hyperbaric conditions.
Question 2: During a hyperbaric treatment, a patient begins exhibiting grand mal seizure activity. What is the FIRST action the hyperbaric technician should take?
- Immediately decompress the chamber at the fastest safe rate
- Remove the oxygen mask or hood to stop oxygen delivery (Correct answer)
- Administer IV diazepam through the chamber pass-through
- Increase the chamber depth to suppress seizure activity
Correct answer: Remove the oxygen mask or hood to stop oxygen delivery
Removing the oxygen mask or hood to stop oxygen delivery is the immediate first step to manage oxygen toxicity seizures in the hyperbaric environment.
Question 3: Which of the following patients represents an ABSOLUTE contraindication to hyperbaric oxygen therapy?
- A patient on low-dose aspirin therapy
- A patient with untreated pneumothorax (Correct answer)
- A patient with controlled Type 2 diabetes
- A patient with a history of mild claustrophobia
Correct answer: A patient with untreated pneumothorax
Untreated pneumothorax is an absolute contraindication because hyperbaric pressure can cause the pneumothorax to expand during decompression, leading to tension pneumothorax.
Question 4: A patient reports taking disulfiram (Antabuse) prior to hyperbaric treatment. Why is this clinically significant for hyperbaric safety?
- Disulfiram increases the risk of central nervous system oxygen toxicity (Correct answer)
- Disulfiram causes vasoconstriction that reduces HBO treatment efficacy
- Disulfiram interacts with hyperbaric nitrogen causing narcosis
- Disulfiram reduces oxygen absorption in hyperbaric conditions
Correct answer: Disulfiram increases the risk of central nervous system oxygen toxicity
Disulfiram inhibits superoxide dismutase, which is a protective enzyme against oxygen free radicals, thereby increasing CNS oxygen toxicity risk.
Question 5: What is the recommended minimum interval between hyperbaric oxygen treatments to reduce cumulative pulmonary oxygen toxicity risk?
- 1 hour
- 4 hours (Correct answer)
- 8 hours
- 24 hours
Correct answer: 4 hours
A minimum 4-hour interval between treatments allows partial recovery from pulmonary oxygen toxicity effects and is standard practice in most HBO protocols.
Question 6: A fire breaks out inside a monoplace hyperbaric chamber during treatment. What is the correct immediate response?
- Increase chamber pressure to suppress the fire
- Decompress the chamber immediately per emergency protocol and notify the fire department (Correct answer)
- Introduce nitrogen into the chamber to displace oxygen
- Wait for the fire to self-extinguish due to limited fuel sources
Correct answer: Decompress the chamber immediately per emergency protocol and notify the fire department
Immediate emergency decompression per established protocol and notification of the fire department is the correct response to an in-chamber fire.
Question 7: Which documentation element is MOST critical to include in a hyperbaric treatment record for patient safety and liability purposes?
- The technician's personal opinions about treatment efficacy
- Pre-treatment assessment findings, treatment parameters, and any adverse events (Correct answer)
- Insurance authorization codes and billing information
- The referring physician's complete medical history
Correct answer: Pre-treatment assessment findings, treatment parameters, and any adverse events
Pre-treatment assessment findings, exact treatment parameters, and any adverse events form the essential safety and legal record of each hyperbaric treatment.
CHS Patient Safety & Risk Management 2
A patient with a pacemaker is referred for hyperbaric oxygen therapy.
What is the primary safety concern that must be assessed?