SUMMER 2012

New Course Materials Are Now Available The release of the revised DAN Educa-tion training program materials is under way. Emergency Oxygen for Scuba Diving Injuries and Neurological Assessment were released in June. Basic Life Support: CPR and First Aid, First Aid for Hazardous Marine Life Injuries and the Diving Emergency Management Provider (DEMP) student handbooks should be ready soon. CPR Health-Care Provider with First Aid and Diving First Aid for Professional Divers materials are scheduled for release in the fall.

The new materials have been well received by the DAN ProMembers and Industry Partners who have reviewed and/or beta-tested them. We appreciate their input, and the final result is definitely a team effort. Initial feedback from the field as courses have gone into implementation has also been very positive. Thanks to each of you for your patience and support during the revision process.

New Instructor/Trainer Materials The new DAN Instructor/Trainer materials

DAN Education 2012 Calendar

Page 2

Submitting Online Rosters

Page 2

Processing Fee Implemented for

Certification CardsPage 2

Changes in DAN ProMember Cards

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Become a DAN Instructor Trainer

Page 2

Trainer CornerPage 3

Website Updates Planned

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Mandatory Update Is Available Online

Page 3

Kudos To DAN Instructors

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Course Revision Notes Page 4

Instructor ReminderPage 5

The Publication of the DAN Education Department

Diving Emergency Management Provider

Emergency Oxygen for Scuba Diving Injuries

Continued on Page 5

oxygen windowOxygen Window is a quarterly

publication of Divers Alert Network® for DAN Instructors.

Brian Wake • Patty Seery Frances Smith • Jeff Wilkins

Oxygen Window ©2012Divers Alert Network

1-800-446-2671 option 4www.DAN.org

From top: Oxygen First Aid for Scuba Diving Injuries and Advanced Oxygen First Aid for Scuba Diving Injuries have been combined into the new Emergency Oxygen for Scuba Diving Injuries course. The Oxygen First Aid for Aquatic Emergencies, Automated External Defibrillators for Aquatic Emergencies and Automated External Defibrillators for Scuba Diving courses are no longer available. The new Diving Emergency Management Provider program now consists of the following four courses: Emergency Oxygen for Scuba Diving Injuries, Neurological Assessment, First Aid for Hazardous Marine Life Injuries and Basic Life Support: CPR and First Aid. The Basic Life Support for Dive Professionals course is now CPR Health-Care Provider with First Aid.

Oxygen Window DAN Education2 SUMMER 2012

2012Calendar

Aug. 17-19 Instructor Trainer Workshop Durham, N.C.

Sept. 11-13 DMT Continuing Education Course Durham, N.C.This course is for certified DMTs who need continuing education credits to maintain their certification.

Sept. 16-21 DMT Course Durham, N.C.This course covers the topics and skills necessary to be eligible for the DMT certification exam.

Oct. 6-13 CME: 72nd DAN Diving and Bonaire Hyperbaric Medicine Course

Jointly sponsored by DAN and the Wilderness Medical Society (WMS), this six-day program includes lectures, case presentations, printed support materials and both formal and informal discussions with the faculty. Participants will also have the opportunity to enjoy diving as part of their stay.

Nov. 14-17 DEMA Show Las Vegas, Nev.

EDUCATION

Submitting Online RostersSpecific student information is needed when completing the online roster. Because the roster is entered real time into the DAN database for both the instructor and provider without hand screening, the minimum information to match an existing record is either the student’s DAN Member number or last name and date of birth. Without this information a duplicate record may

be created, making confirmation of certification or the addition of renewal certifications difficult if not impossible.

Using the first name as it appears on the individual’s DAN membership is also helpful; name variations such as James, Jim and Jimmy also generate duplicate records. Help us keep our database con-cise and navigable by diligence as you enter your course rosters.

Changes in DAN ProMember CardsEffective May 2012, your DAN Instructor/Trainer status no longer appears on your DAN ProMember card. Because your teaching status is not tied to your mem-bership status other than the requirement to be a DAN Member to teach DAN courses, it is more accurate to check your My DAN Account for your teaching status.

The information provided in your My DAN Account includes teaching status and the expiration month of your creden-tials for each course you are certified to teach. You can also check student counts for each course. Trainers are also able to see how many instructors they have trained in each specific course.

Processing Fee Implemented for Certification CardsWith the course revisions and introduction of digital student handbooks, there has been much discussion regarding how certification cards will be issued. We explored many options and processing models, some of which were prematurely announced. Please accept our apologies for the variable information that has been released and any resulting confusion. However, we now have a firm decision.

Paper certification cards for immediate distribution are not possible with the digi-tal version of the student handbooks. To streamline logistics, all certifications will follow the same process: When submitting a course roster, there will be a $5 charge per student for a certification card to be mailed to the student. For instructors utilizing the online roster, there will be the option for you to print temporary certifi-cation cards at the time the roster is submitted. Temporary cards can be printed only after the roster has been submitted and the processing fee paid. Cards can be mailed to the instructor for distribution if requested. A “Notes” field will be added to the online roster to facilitate requests to mail cards to the instructor or dive center.

Become a DAN Instructor TrainerThe next Instructor Trainer Workshop (ITW) at DAN headquarters in Durham, N.C., is scheduled for Aug. 17-19. There is still time to register.Prerequisites:• Be a current DAN Member.• Be an active DAN Instructor in each

course for which you are seeking the DAN Instructor Trainer rating.

• PLUS have one of the following certifi-cations:

— Current scuba instructor trainer — IDC Staff (or equivalent) with DAN

Diving Emergency Specialist (DES) Instructor

— CPR/first aid instructor trainer with DAN Diving Emergency Specialist (DES) Instructor

The DAN ITW includes the following courses:• Emergency Oxygen for Scuba Diving

Injuries• Basic Life Support: CPR and First Aid• First Aid for Hazardous Marine Life

Injuries• Neurological Assessment• CPR Health-Care Provider with First

Aid• Dive Medicine for Divers: Part 1, Part

2, Part 3

3SUMMER 2012Oxygen Window DAN Education

Kudos!The following DAN Instructors received praise from their students’ course evaluations.

Jeff Loflin:(Oxygen First Aid)

“Very well taught with great experience!”

Bill Hillermeier:(HMLI)

“Course was amazing! Best instructor ever!”

Jon Fajans:(DEMP)

“Course was done in a very professional manner and fun.”

Rick Ducey(DFA Pro)

“Rick does a great job and represents DAN well.”

Bob Sumner:(Neurological Assessment)

“Bob is a truly excellent instructor and credit to DAN.”

Website Updates Planned The resources and information posted in the Instructors-Only section of the DAN website will be updated soon. Among the changes will be additions to support the new materials and expanded formats for student materials. Contact us at oxygen@dan.org if you need something that is not yet posted. Thank you for your patience as we continue to update and improve the availability of materials.

Mandatory Update Is Available OnlineThe June 30, 2012, deadline for DAN Instructors and Trainers to complete 2012 Mandatory Update has passed. Anyone who did not complete the update by June 30 will be in sustaining status until the update is completed. While webinar options for completing the update have concluded, the online version is still available.

There is no charge for the update, which takes about 45 minutes to complete. To pass the 10-question exam, listen to all of the audio components. Should you have an unsuccessful completion attempt, contact DAN Education at oxygen@dan.org to have the program reset for an additional opportunity to complete the program.

Instructor Applications and Credential DocumentationPlease include the documentation noted on the DAN Instructor application for all instructor candidates, whether a new instructor or an existing instructor adding credentials. Current scuba leadership and CPR instructor credentials are required for all applications. Scuba agency

memberships are renewed annually, and most CPR instructor credentials have a two-year renewal cycle. Stating certifications are “on file” on an application will delay its processing until current status can be verified, usually through additional communication with the trainer and/or applicant. Please keep the process in motion by always providing the credentials upon submission.

Online Directory PermissionsThe DAN Instructor application has a box for the instructor to give permission for a listing in the DAN Instructor Online Directory. The box gives instructors the option of which phone number to post (only one number can be listed). If the box is not completed, the default is to not list the instructor/trainer.

Revised CORE and Mini-CORE Once all the courses have finished the revision process, we will update the CORE and Mini-CORE program segments. Because we have continually identified changes and tweaks as we have completed the individual courses, we decided to wait to release the new CORE and Mini-CORE so all adjustments could be addressed. The material as it currently exists can be used as is with minor nota-tions about process and administrative requirements. If you have questions about adjustments or have suggestions for revisions, please contact oxygen@dan.org.

As a reminder, both CORE and Mini-CORE are required for new DAN Instructors and must be initialed on the instructor application. If the CORE module was completed online, please note this and include a copy the certificate of completion with the application. (You should have received the certificate from your instructor candidate at the beginning of the Instructor Qualification Course (IQC) as verification of its completion.)

For existing instructors, neither module is required, but the Mini-CORE can provide a good review. Individuals adding new instructor ratings who have not taken an IQC module for awhile may benefit from the review it will provide on administrative procedures and marketing tips.

Trainer Corner

Oxygen Window DAN Education4 SUMMER 2012

Emergency Oxygen for Scuba Diving Injuries• Student Handbooks As with any new program, tiny mistakes can be made. Such was the case with the new Emergency Oxygen course. The first run of the book had errors in the equipment diagram. The good

news is the first run was small, so corrections have been made. Watch Oxygen Window for errata notes as we release new mate-rials. If you find an error, let us know so we can ensure the problems have been noted and corrected. Announcements regarding any future corrections will be in Oxygen Window, with corrections made to subsequent printings of the student materials. Instructor guides with revisions will be download-able from the Instructors-Only section of the website. (Check the date on the document when you open it to see if it is more recent than that one you are using.)

• Instructor TransitionsMany DAN Instructors who did not have the Advanced Oxygen for Scuba Diving Injuries course credentials have picked it up over the past 18 months to ensure a smooth transition into teaching Emergency Oxygen for Scuba Diving Injuries. However, there are still a few instructors who have not facilitated teaching the combined course by adding Advanced Oxygen for Scuba Diving Injuries to their teaching credentials. If you are one of them, your teaching status for either of the DAN oxygen first aid courses has been moved to sustaining until you complete the additional training with the bag valve mask and manually triggered ventilator. Contact a DAN Instructor Trainer near you to complete this training, or contact DAN Education for assistance.

Dive Emergency Management Provider (DEMP)Effective with the release of the revised programs, DEMP now includes Neurological Assessment. The new DEMP program offers a streamlined way to complete four courses under one certification. It also includes Basic Life Sup-

port: CPR and First Aid, Emergency Oxygen for Scuba Diving Injuries and First Aid for Hazardous Marine Life Injuries. If you are missing any of these instructor credentials, see your DAN instructor Trainer to add them and continue offering DEMP.

Diving First Aid for Professional DiversAnother program affected by the course revisions is Diving First Aid for Profes-sional Divers. As of July 1, DFA Pro instructors will need to have the Advanced Oxygen for Scuba Diving Injuries skills,

Neurological Assessment and CPR instructor rating at the health-care provider (HCP) level. When teaching DFA Pro, CPR skills are to be taught at the level required by the institution or organization for which the program is being conducted (basic CPR: adult only, single rescuer; or HCP: one- and two-person CPR, adult, child and infant). Changes in accreditation and/or certification requirements made this change necessary to meet the needs of the variety of places utilizing this certification program.

Another change with this program allows any DAN Instructor to teach the program and any diver to take the program. The comprehensive nature of the first aid training included in DFA Pro makes it an ideal risk-management course for dive professionals everywhere.

As part of the course-revision project, we have reintegrated commercial divers into this program. The new student handbook will contain photos from across the board for all audiences. A commercial diver card will still be available for those needing a specific card. Please indicate that a commercial diver card is needed in the notes field of the course roster.

Dive Medicine for DiversCourse revisions were discussed at a recent international DAN Education forum. While Dive Medicine for Divers (DMFD) is not undergoing revisions at this time, there was a consensus that the requirement for DEMP and Neurological Assesment

certifications went beyond the intent of this information-only series. Effective immediately, DEMP and Neuro certifications are no longer required to receive the DMFD: Part 1 recognition. However, strongly recommend the completion of those certifi-cations to your students so they can fully apply the information acquired during the DMFD series. Continue to offer the rest of the course content as it exists.

TranslationsTranslation of the new course materials into other languages has been an integral part of the revision process. For DAN Instruc-tors and Trainers who teach in languages other than English, digital versions of translated materials will be available. Spanish and Portuguese translations will be available soon, and a French translation is being pursued. Our goal is to get the message and training out to all our regional members.

Z Valve on the Oxygen CylindersUnfortunately, the Z valve did not live up to expectations. While it will continue to be shown in the Emergency Oxygen materials for now, it will no longer be available on oxygen cylinders. We continue to seek alternatives for affordable but durable equipment. In this case, we have returned to a “tried and true” valve for now.

If you have purchased a unit with the Z valve and would like to exchange it for a toggle valve, please contact Kim Hartsell at khartsell@dan.org.

Course Revision Notes

5SUMMER 2012Oxygen Window DAN Education

Diving Emergency Specialist:The Quest and the New DAN CoursesJoin DES Quest July 1–Dec. 31

New Course Materials Are Now Available

are available on flash drives for $20 per course. A multiple-course price is available if ordered at the same time. Flash drives are course specific and include the DAN Instructor Manual CORE with appendix and forms, the specific course instruc-tor guide, provider slides and video for in-class instruction plus a digital version of the student handbook and slate. Trainers will also receive the DAN Trainer Guide and Instructor Qualification Course (IQC) slides to support the specific course. This reduced cost is avail-able only until Sept. 30. After that time, instructor packs will go back to the regular price of $50. Please place your reduced-cost orders for instructor/trainer flash drives through DAN Education either by phone at 1-800-446-2671 option 4 or email oxygen@dan.org.

New instructor cards will be available upon request only.

FormsEvery DAN Instructor and Trainer will need to implement new forms reflecting course changes as of July 1. New forms are available in the appendix of the DAN Instruc-tor Manual CORE, or they will be available for download soon from the Instructors- Only section of the DAN website, www.DAN.org.

Continued from Page 1

Instructor ReminderThe Statement of Understanding and course final-exam answer sheets are included in the print version of the student handbooks and should be retained for a mini-mum of seven years — or longer if required in the jurisdiction where you teach. For digital versions and recertifications, forms will be downloadedable from the Instructors-Only section of the DAN website.

Order your new DAN Instructor/Trainer materials now before the introductory price expires Sept. 30. Call 1-800-446-2671 option 4 or email oxygen@dan.org to place your order.

Reminders 48-Month Rule in ForceAny course you have not taught in 48 months is removed from your active teaching credentials. If you have questions about the status of any of your credentials, contact DAN Education, oxygen@dan.org. You can use only one update in 48 months to maintain active status. We want you to teach, and so do divers (and nondivers).

Individuals who meet the DES recognition requirements as a provider, instructor or instructor trainer this fall are encouraged to complete the DES application found online. Upon confirmation and processing, recipients will receive a high-denier, water-resistant, multipocketed zipper pouch with emergency shears and an underwater pencil and lanyard for your DAN diving first aid slates. For more information and a link to the application form, visit www.DAN.org/training/courses/course_des