Media Contact: Michael Schwartzberg, GBMC Media Relations Manager

(O): 443-849-2126/Cell: 410-258-3465e

Team of GBMC Hyperbaric Medicine Nurses Earn Specialized Certification  March 2:]

BALTIMORE, Md. –   April 20, 2007 – All five staff nurses for Greater Baltimore Medical Center’s Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy Unit (HBO) have earned national certification in Hyperbaric Medicine.  Earning the Certified Hyperbaric Registered Nurse (CHRN) designation were: Jami Hohner, RN, Clinical Partner, of White Hall, MD; Beverly Donohue, RN, of Hampstead, MD; Venus Griffin, RN, of White Hall, MD; Joe Huber, RN, of White Hall, MD; and Laura Thomas, RN, of Stewartstown, PA.

HBO treatments deliver 100 percent oxygen in an enclosed chamber at greater than atmospheric pressure, which dissolves into the plasma of blood circulation and stimulates healing by preserving tissues, increasing blood vessel formation and controlling infections.  It is commonly used as a treatment for patients suffering with severe wounds or delayed radiation injury. 

“Having all of our hyperbaric nurses earn this certification is the latest step we’ve taken to ensure we are delivering the best care available for our patients,” said Peter Allinson, M.D., hyperbaric physician at GBMC. 

GBMC opened an expanded Wound Care Center and Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy unit in November 2005, which added a fourth mono-place oxygen chamber, and two additional chambers are planned for the near future.  More than 3,400 hyperbaric treatments were administered at GBMC during FY 2006 and the unit saw more than 150 new patients.   

The CHRN exam is administered by the National Board of Diving and Hyperbaric Medical Technology for the Baromedical Nursing Association and is a nationally recognized certification exam.  This certification is developed for nurses working in the specialized area of hyperbaric medicine and signifies a degree of competence and education in the field and a standard knowledge base.   It is similar to physicians who become boarded in a specialty.   Although certification is not required to work in the field of hyperbaric medicine, it is highly recommended. 

GBMC includes Greater Baltimore Medical Center (GBMC), Central Maryland’s leading community hospital; Hospice of Baltimore, which provides comfort and care to patients with life-limiting illnesses; and the GBMC Foundation, which supports the GBMC mission by managing fundraising efforts.  The 292-bed Medical Center, located on a beautiful suburban campus, serves nearly 22,000 inpatients annually and provides approximately 60,000 emergency room visits. For more information, go to www.gbmc.org

###