Keshia Nelson loves her job. And now, thanks to a brand new and second hyperbaric chamber at Holy Cross Hospital – Jordan Valley (HCJ), she will get to love it twice as much.
The additional chamber means Keshia will be able to help twice as many patients experience the healing power of hyperbaric medicine. As a certified hyperbaric registered nurse (CHRN), she is now able to be stationed between the two hyperbaric chambers, which are just five feet apart, and care for two patients at the same time. The chamber are part of the hospital's Hyperbaric and Wound Care Center.
About four years ago, while working as a wound care nurse, Keshia decided she wanted to learn the hyperbaric side of care. She attended a special course in Texas, shadowed other hyperbaric practitioners for months, took an intensive exam, and in 2021 became certified by the Baromedical Nurses Association.
As a hyperbaric nurse, she prepares patients for their hyperbaric treatments by helping them get situated on a bed that slides into a large acrylic cylinder. Once the chamber is closed, she fills the chamber with 100 percent oxygen and takes the patient on a “dive” to 2.0 atmospheres, roughly the equivalent of going 33 feet under water.
The patients then spend about 90 minutes at that heightened pressure with pure oxygen, a combination that is highly effective at treating serious wounds, including diabetic ulcers or industrial crushing injuries, or helping treat carbon monoxide poisoning, hearing loss and radiation injuries.
Most patients don’t feel anything with the added pressure, other than ears popping. Many of Keshia's patients enjoy watching a movie – classic Westerns are the favorite – or taking a nap during their treatment.
“I put them in the chamber and then the oxygen is able to do its thing,” she says.
Patients typically undergo the hyperbaric treatments five days a week for four to eight weeks. She loves to see the progress they make. She remembers one patient who was in so much pain they couldn’t sit or lie down. By the end of treatment, they were able to sit and the pain had become manageable.
Keshia also loves that her job allows her to really get to know her patients because she sees them repeatedly over several weeks. She focuses on treating the whole patient. For example, she’ll ask them what they ate for lunch, to make sure they are getting enough protein in their diet; or she’ll ask about things at home, making sure they are managing the stress of the lengthy treatment process.
Keshia is joined by two colleagues at Holy Cross Hospital - Jordan Valley who are also hyperbaric certified. How much has Keshia enjoyed learning the science behind hyperbarics? Well, she and her husband have begun taking classes to become scuba certified.
Learn more about our Hyperbaric and Wound Center at Holy Cross Hospital - Jordan Valley, or call 801-601-2322.
