I owe you an explanation....
By Theresaaiza
@Theresaaiza (10487)
Australia
September 10, 2016 7:45am CST
I work as a Hyperbaric Wound Nurse. Most people don't know what that is. Expectedly, they would either give me a confused look like I just said something in a totally different language, or they just give me an oblivious "oh, okay".
It is a specialized field where most of our patients have wounds or ulcers that are very slow healing due to diabetes, or poor blood circulation, sometimes accompanied by massive infection, amongst others. We place them in a chamber, subject them to pressure similar to 10 metres below sea level, and let them breathe 100% oxygen. It is the same chamber that has the capacity to treat divers who've had the " bends" or "decompression illness". Although we don't do that kind of procedure there.
Just as I thought, most people do not even know that we exist until then.
Do you sometimes have to explain the kind of job you have to other people?
14 people like this
14 responses
@Theresaaiza (10487)
• Australia
10 Sep 16
I have always wanted to be in a career that was unique, that wasn't mainstream. And yes, as hard as it is, I actually like it when I had to explain what it is? Gives me a thrill in some odd way actually. 
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (325759)
• Rockingham, Australia
10 Sep 16
I have never heard of this profession. How interesting. I have read quite a bit about the bends that divers get.
@Theresaaiza (10487)
• Australia
10 Sep 16
It is quite interesting actually - the number of patients who have never seen any remedy for their wounds and suddenly responding and seeing results.
It is exactly the same chamber you can use for bends. Except that I think they would increase the pressure, and length of time. But we don't use it for that. It can. But we don't.
3 people like this
@Theresaaiza (10487)
• Australia
11 Sep 16
@JudyEv it would be a big help if there was one nearby. Although patients go through a meticulous medical check before they are eligible for this treatment. The high pressure environment and the concentrated oxygen have their risks
@JudyEv (325759)
• Rockingham, Australia
10 Sep 16
@Theresaaiza I am wondering if it is used here. A lot of older people with diabetes struggle with leg ulcers that won't heal.
@egdcltd (12060)
•
11 Sep 16
@Theresaaiza I did wonder when I looked it up whether we were getting divers in to it, as we aren't that far from the coast (on a tidal estuary).
@Theresaaiza (10487)
• Australia
11 Sep 16
@egdcltd chances are it may be for recompression purposes then 
that's awesome.
that's awesome.1 person likes this
@Theresaaiza (10487)
• Australia
10 Sep 16
Interesting!
So what did you find out? 
So what did you find out? 1 person likes this
@simone10 (54189)
• Louisville, Kentucky
16 Sep 16
@Theresaaiza I can see how it would be claustrophobic at times. Does it seem to help the patients?
@Theresaaiza (10487)
• Australia
10 Sep 16
Might as well just print out an info sheet from the internet and let them read it, eh?
Saves you from all that trouble!
Saves you from all that trouble!1 person likes this
@Theresaaiza (10487)
• Australia
10 Sep 16
@JustBhem haha it will be interesting to see their reaction
1 person likes this
@JustBhem (70555)
• Davao, Philippines
10 Sep 16
@Theresaaiza
I also thought about that. Like, hey here's the description of my job, in verbatim. lol
@williamjisir66 (594)
• Hangzhou, China
10 Sep 16
I did not know about this kind of job you are engaged in till I read about your explanation. Well, I am a teacher and it is easy for everyone to understand what I am talking about . Sometimes I tell them what subjects I teach to make it easier for them to understand.
@Theresaaiza (10487)
• Australia
10 Sep 16
Talking about careers always makes for a great conversation starter. That was my main agenda. So what subjects do you teach?
So what subjects do you teach? 2 people like this
@Hatley (163781)
• Garden Grove, California
17 Sep 16
not when I worked as a nurses aide but as a page in the library I had to exlplain as I shelved media and did all errands asked of me.
as a diabetic I do know all about hyprbaric as I almost landed in
one because of the mess on my legs but the doctors at the hyperbaric place also had a marvelous cream that cleared up the oozing 'rash that had turned t o beginning cellulitis and I was spared
@Theresaaiza (10487)
• Australia
9 Nov 17
@Hatley Yes, true. Sometimes, if external treatment works, we usually save you from having to go into the chamber as that entails a huge deal of commitment. I'm glad they found the right stuff for your leg.
Library work always fascinated me as I was a book lover when I was younger. Lately I'm just slack.
@rymebristol (1808)
• Philippines
20 Oct 16
well i don't need to explain the kind of work I do since my job title says it all...QC Document Controller. It's in the word itself so if someone asked me to explain it, they are helpless.
@hereandthere (45651)
• Philippines
11 Sep 16
so how would a recent nursing graduate who passed the board exam qualify for that job? i figure it pays higher?
@happytobehereagain (390)
•
10 Sep 16
When I read your first line I thought youre joking with your term hyperbarbaric
What I only know is trauma nurse or surgery nurse.. I think Im already outdated with nursing specializations.
Yes I think its part or a way of nursing teaching to explain to people or patients that will be asking what is it about our job or specialization, how we carry it out and how it differs from other areas of nursing.
What I only know is trauma nurse or surgery nurse.. I think Im already outdated with nursing specializations.
Yes I think its part or a way of nursing teaching to explain to people or patients that will be asking what is it about our job or specialization, how we carry it out and how it differs from other areas of nursing.@Theresaaiza (10487)
• Australia
11 Sep 16
Oh can't blame you. Even I was clueless about this. Here it seems so many uncommon treatment modalities abound which is really interesting. This was very unheard of. I'm glad I've spread the word on our existence
1 person likes this
@happytobehereagain (390)
•
12 Sep 16
@Theresaaiza Its really nice to learn something more, and sometimes it occurs in unexpected places.
@Letranknight2015 (51523)
• Philippines
11 Sep 16
meh, these days I'm just living a good life as that of a semi-land lord on a commercial business thing. I bet the salary isn't bad. I don't know why they ask about your job, probably they are intrigue, or something they can gossip to anyone.
@Theresaaiza (10487)
• Australia
12 Sep 16
Cool job. I used to have tenants living with me back then because our ancestral house was empty for a while when all my mom's siblings have moved out and settled in their own homes. So even if I did not have a paid nursing career, I was able to survive purely on rental fees that I collected.
I find the need to explain my current job because as I have said, only a very few number of people know what it is. Yes some get intrigued, curious, or some just need to understand what it is. Especially if a patient can definitely benefit from it.
@Theresaaiza (10487)
• Australia
9 Nov 17
There you go Every day is a school day 
Every day is a school day 1 person likes this
@jaboUK (64361)
• United Kingdom
9 Nov 17
@Theresaaiza Wow, this post is over a year old - have you been away from the site?
@Inlemay (17714)
• South Africa
12 Sep 16
@Theresaaiza well I am very delightfully enlightened - thank you
@7864aru (170)
• Pune, India
10 Sep 16
You are doing awesome job. It is first time , I came across something like this.do you have any branches in our country India. We have too many people suffering form diabetes & it will be great help for them.
@Theresaaiza (10487)
• Australia
11 Sep 16
I am not very sure. Hyperbaric is not a very common field. There are also no 100% promises of cure. Also it is a very expensive treatment. Unless your government subsidises the fees, I don't think patients will ever resort to this.
The best thing for diabetic patients still is balanced diet, exercise, medication compliance. And what I find is that daily foot inspection and foot care is very essential. Most diabetic patients don't realize they have feet ulcers until it's too late. It is very preventable.
2 people like this
