Course Overview
The Diver Medical Technician (DMT) course is for divers, and non-divers, to develop advanced practical skills to enable them to administer first aid an emergency treatment to others under the direction of a doctor pending the arrival of more skills medical aid.
DMT certifications are separated into onshore and offshore categories. Onshore DMT training and assessment allows certificate holders to:
- Follow the dive supervisor’s instructions to provide diving first aid during diver rescue and recovery
- Liaise with medical professionals during treatment
- Act as a chamber attendant in a compression chamber during recompression and decompression operations
Offshore DMT training and assessment adds additional skills in first aid within a chamber or bell and extended out-of-hospital care in a chamber or remote location.
An ADAS training establishment is able to take anyone n the course as a student, irrespective of their background and qualifications; however, certificates issued will depend on the student’s background, successful completion of the required units of competency, and whether the student is medical fit to dive.
Certificates of qualification as a DMT are valid for two years only. A refresher course by an accredited DMT course provider will be required before re-certification.
Onshore DMT Qualification
ADAS Onshore DMT qualifications are issued to candidates who meet the general course requirements but who are not certified at the ADAS Part 3, Part 4 or Life Support Technician (LST) level or equivalent of diving qualification.
Offshore DMT Qualification
ADAS Offshore DMT qualifications are issued to candidates who meet the general course requirements and are certified at the ADAS Part 3, Part 4 or Assistant Life Support Technician (ALST), Life Support Technician (LST), or Life Support Supervisor (LSS) level qualification or equivalent.
DMT Refresher Course
DMT certification holders are able to refresh their certification between three (3) months prior to, or eight (8) weeks after the expiry date of their certification.
In order to undertake the DMT refresher course, applicants must enroll on the course during this timeframe. If they are unable to enroll on a refresher course in this time, they will be required to undertake the full DMT course in order to gain another certification.
Course Standards
The course meets the requirements of:
- Onshore DMT: Partial completion of Certificate IV in Hyperbaric Operations (Diver medical technician). National Qualification Code 11006NAT.
- Offshore DMT: Certificate IV in Hyperbaric Operations (Diver medical technician). National Qualification Code 11006NAT.
Note: If you study at an ADAS training establishment outside of Australia you may not be eligible for this Australian Qualifications Framework certificate. The ADAS licence, however, is issued at all ADAS training establishments.
- All ADAS schools teach to the ADAS standard, this means that graduates of non-VET accredited schools may apply to ADAS for a VET qualification through a Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) process. Contact ADAS for more information about this process.
Student Prerequisites
Both onshore DMT and offshore DMT applicants must meet the following pre-requisites:
- Hold either a recognised current Diver Medic Technician certificate or a current First Aid certificate from an accredited training organisation (i.e. has been certified within 3 years of the beginning of the proposed training program) and CPR and oxygen resuscitation skills must have been refreshed within the 12 month period prior to the beginning of the training program.
- See the First Aid Certifications table for a list of certifications currently accepted by ADAS.
- Hold a valid certificate of medical fitness to dive (see AS/NZS 2299.1) issued, after examination, by a doctor trained and experienced in underwater medicine in accordance with the requirements in AS/NZS 2299.1, and that certification remains valid until the scheduled completion date of the training being undertaken. If a trainee‘s health has changed significantly since the medical certificate was issued, the trainee shall seek an appropriate medical review.
Note: While being a Part 3 diver is not a prerequisite for this course applicants who are not Part 3 divers will also need to meet the unit of competency, NAT11006028 Assist as an attendant inside a hyperbaric chamber. The training and assessment for this unit is to be undertaken in addition to the 10 days of the standard course.
Offshore DMT
In addition to the above, candidates for Offshore DMT certification must also hold a current ADAS Part 3, Part 4, Assistant Life Support Technician, Life Support Technician, or Life Support Supervisor qualification or equivalent.
Competencies
The following units of competency are completed:
Onshore DMT
- BSBWHS211 Work safely in hyperbaric operations
- NAT11006001 Work safely in hyperbaric operations
- NAT11006002 Maintain effective working relationships within dive or hyperbaric operations team
- NAT11006004 Assess diving casualty and assist with first aid and treatment of diving illnesses and injuries
- NAT11006026 Undertake assessment and emergency care during rescue and recovery of diving or hyperbaric casualty
- NAT11006027 Administer oxygen in hyperbaric chambers and in general emergencies
- NAT11006028 Assist as an attendant inside a hyperbaric chamber
- NAT11006029 Assist with general medical emergencies within the team
- NAT11006030 Prepare for potential emergencies and assist with treatment of diving illnesses
- NAT11006037 Assist with prevention and treatment of hyperbaric-related illnesses and injuries
- NAT11006065 Apply knowledge of basic physics, anatomy, physiology and psychology to hyperbaric work
Offshore DMT
- BSBWHS211 Work safely in hyperbaric operations
- NAT11006001 Work safely in hyperbaric operations
- NAT11006002 Maintain effective working relationships within dive or hyperbaric operations team
- NAT11006004 Assess diving casualty and assist with first aid and treatment of diving illnesses and injuries
- NAT11006024 Undertake extended out-of-hospital care of a diving casualty
- NAT11006026 Undertake assessment and emergency care during rescue and recovery of diving or hyperbaric casualty
- NAT11006027 Administer oxygen in hyperbaric chambers and in general emergencies
- NAT11006028 Assist as an attendant inside a hyperbaric chamber
- NAT11006029 Assist with general medical emergencies within the team
- NAT11006030 Prepare for potential emergencies and assist with treatment of diving illnesses
- NAT11006037 Assist with prevention and treatment of hyperbaric-related illnesses and injuries
- NAT11006065 Apply knowledge of basic physics, anatomy, physiology and psychology to hyperbaric work
- NAT11006074 Prepare to work safely in offshore diving operations
- NAT11006076 Apply first aid within a chamber or bell
Delivery & Assessment
The DMT course is to be undertaken over a minimum period of 10 days. This period does not include the delivery of any prerequisite units of competency for people who are not commercial divers.
