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Monthly Briefing Archive

April 2019

A few moments spent clarifying certain terminology should prove helpful to instructors, hyperbaric team members and prospective CHT/CHRN’s, alike.

It has become all too common to refer to “dive tables”. As common as it is, there are no “dive tables”, per se. Moreover, this term is used interchangeably from time to time when referencing both decompression tables and decompression illness (DCS & CAGE) treatment tables. A recent CHT examinee complained that “dive tables 5 and 6” were not in her test package. “Treatment Tables” 5 and 6 have never been part of that package. While examinees do need a fundamental understanding of clinical indications for Treatment Tables 5 and 6, there is no requirement to access these tables during the testing process. On the contrary, questions related to ascent procedures from compressed air exposures do require calculation, with decompression tables provided.

Going forward then, and to improve both clarity of intent and minimize confusion, get into the habit of using the following terminology;

1. When referring to the process of calculating diver decompression obligations, its “decompression tables”. While there are several recreational diver organization variants, prevailing tables in the U.S. are those of the U.S. Navy, so “U.S. Navy Air Decompression Tables” (when air is the breathing medium) would be the full title, although “decompression tables” will commonly suffice. As an aside, many of the world’s navies have established their own decompression tables, so international colleagues may use their country’s prevailing procedures.

1. When referring to the management of decompression illness, it’s “treatment tables”. Here in the U.S. and commonplace internationally is employment of “U.S. Navy Treatment Tables, 5, 6, 6A and 9.

Avoid using the term “dive tables”, and never use it interchangeably when referring to computation of decompression obligations and management of decompression illness.

Dick Clarke, President
National Board of Diving & Hyperbaric Medical Technology