Hyperbaric Technician - Wound Care & Hyperbaric Medicine (19.99 Hours or Less, Non-Benefit Bearing)

University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB)•Galveston, TX

About The Position

Under the direction of the Medical Director of the Undersea and Hyperbaric Medicine Department, the Hyperbaric Technician operates hyperbaric chambers to provide hyperbaric oxygen treatments as prescribed by a Hyperbaric Medicine Physician. The technician ensures safe chamber operations in accordance with established policies and guidelines and operates and maintains chambers and related equipment according to manufacturer recommendations. The role maintains required daily, monthly, quarterly, and annual logs; serves as a Safety Director or Safety Officer after completing an approved course; and assesses materials for appropriate use in and around hyperbaric chambers. The technician also supports patient care and daily department operations. Duties include preparing and assisting patients, helping with examinations and treatments, arrival and discharge, point-of-care testing and specimen collection, documenting care in Epic, and communicating relevant information to healthcare providers. The schedule is 19.99 hours or less per week with no set schedule. Actual salary is commensurate with experience.

Requirements

High school diploma or GED.
Completion of an approved UHMS, NBDHMT, or Department of Defense introductory course, before or after hire.
Hyperbaric Chambers Acrylics course training.
Completion of an approved Safety Director training course; required if not already completed.
Certification as a hyperbaric technician (CHT).
BLS certification.
Complete initial and annual skills checklists as required by the facility.

Responsibilities

Operate hyperbaric chambers and ensure patient safety during hyperbaric oxygen treatments.
Interpret meter readings in relation to pressure and perform chamber line-up, shutdown, and other operating procedures.
Maintain complete and accurate patient records related to hyperbaric treatments, including patient correspondence.
Determine and maintain expendable supply requirements.
Maintain hyperbaric chambers and related equipment and coordinate all required levels of system maintenance.
Lift or transfer patients according to established policies and procedures.
Manage hyperbaric equipment and gases.
Maintain facility safety standards required by licensing and regulatory agencies, including compliance with NFPA 99 requirements for hyperbaric facilities and internal safety procedures.
Recommend departmental safety policies and procedures as appropriate.
Review safety incidents, gather information about equipment and patient safety, report relevant incidents to staff, and periodically provide accident-prevention in-service training.
Maintain a safe environment for patients and staff and use approved decompression procedures for people exposed to inert gases under hyperbaric conditions.
Complete quarterly hyperbaric chamber fire-safety drills tailored to improve staff emergency response.
Serve on the institution safety committee when requested by hospital leadership.
Assist with daily department operations and perform duties and procedures as directed by the Nurse Manager and/or Medical Director.
Prepare patients, chaperone examinations, and assist with treatments.
Assist patients with arrival and discharge.
Perform point-of-care testing and collect other laboratory specimens, including bloodwork, as needed.
Assist patients with activities and care as assigned by clinic personnel and indicated by the plan of care.
Document patient care in Epic and communicate relevant information to the appropriate healthcare provider.
Perform or assist with aseptic techniques, isolation procedures, and infection-control practices.
Maintain positive customer and peer interactions.
Stock rooms, carts, and cabinets as needed.
Follow department policies, procedures, and guidelines.