Patient Care & Monitoring in Hyperbaric Settings Flashcards
7 cards from real CHT practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Patient Care & Monitoring in Hyperbaric Settings flashcards as text
A patient is receiving HBO therapy via a monoplace chamber and begins to exhibit uncontrolled generalized tonic-clonic movements. After ensuring the airway, the CHT should:
Answer: Begin controlled decompression per protocol while protecting the patient from injury and notifying the physician
During an oxygen-induced seizure in a monoplace chamber, the CHT initiates controlled decompression per established protocol while protecting the patient from self-injury.
Which of the following wound characteristics would MOST indicate that a patient is responding positively to hyperbaric oxygen therapy?
Answer: Reduced wound size, granulation tissue formation, and decreased necrotic tissue
Granulation tissue formation, wound size reduction, and decreased necrosis are positive indicators of HBO-enhanced wound healing.
A patient with claustrophobia is scheduled for a monoplace HBO treatment. Which intervention is MOST effective for preventing treatment interruption?
Answer: Allow the patient to tour and practice in the chamber before treatment, using anxiolytic medication as prescribed
Pre-treatment familiarization with the chamber environment combined with physician-prescribed anxiolytics significantly reduces claustrophobic reactions.
During monitoring of a carbon monoxide poisoning patient receiving HBO at 3.0 ATA, the CHT notes the patient's SpO2 reads 99%. Why is this reading potentially MISLEADING?
Answer: Pulse oximetry cannot distinguish between oxyhemoglobin and carboxyhemoglobin, so SpO2 appears falsely normal
Standard pulse oximeters cannot differentiate carboxyhemoglobin from oxyhemoglobin, so SpO2 reads falsely elevated in CO poisoning; co-oximetry is required for accurate assessment.
Which of the following is the MOST appropriate method for passing medication into a hyperbaric chamber during treatment?
Answer: Use the designated chamber medical pass-through port with appropriate pressure equalization
Medical pass-through ports are designed to safely transfer medications and supplies into pressurized chambers without interrupting treatment.
A patient reports significant sinus pain during compression that does not resolve with slow compression rate. What condition does this MOST likely represent?
Answer: Sinus squeeze (sinus barotrauma)
Sinus squeeze occurs when blocked sinus ostia prevent equalization of pressure, causing mucosal hemorrhage and severe pain during compression.
When documenting a hyperbaric treatment session, which element is MOST critical to record for medicolegal and continuity-of-care purposes?
Answer: Patient tolerance, vital signs at intervals, any adverse events, and treatment parameters (pressure, duration, oxygen percentage)
Comprehensive documentation including patient response, vital signs, adverse events, and all treatment parameters is essential for patient safety and medicolegal compliance.