Continuing Education

Never stop learning. Continuing education will help you grow as a diver and enhance your safety. You can explore many routes of continuing education through advanced diving courses and specialties, helping you to learn and master new skillsets. DAN offers a suite of courses specifically designed to enhance your safety skills making you a more prepared diver.

These courses have recently been completely redesigned to feature comprehensive content updates including the 2010 Guidelines for Resuscitation and Emergency Cardiac Care and CPR administration. The core courses that DAN provides address the key skillsets divers may need to respond to an emergency.

Emergency Oxygen for Scuba Diving Injuries
Administration of emergency oxygen is the primary first aid for scuba diving and nonfatal drowning incidents. Its use enhances oxygen delivery to hypoxic tissues and enhances inert gas washout. Oxygen first aid can also help minimize or eliminate existing symptoms and reduce further injury.

DAN pioneered the course more than 20 years ago, when DAN Research discovered that although scientific evidence was emerging on the benefits of emergency oxygen in first aid treatments, less than one-third of injured divers received it.

Now, the DAN Emergency Oxygen for Scuba Diving Injuries course presents the most current information, equipping divers with the skills necessary to recognize and manage diving emergencies requiring oxygen first aid.

Basic Life Support: CPR and First Aid
According to the World Health Organization, cardiovascular diseases are the most common cause of death worldwide and account for about one-third of deaths.  As the diving population ages, the prevalence of these diseases in the community is likely to increase. The Basic Life Support: CPR and First Aid course is designed to prepare care givers to handle cardiovascular events and other life-threatening incidents.

Course participants learn essential up-to-date first aid skills for illness and injury assessments and basic wound care including single-rescuer adult-only CPR, AED, airway and choking management.

First Aid for Hazardous Marine Life Injuries
At some point, most divers experience an unintentional brush with fire coral, jellyfish or other hazardous marine life. These injuries are typically mild and require simple first aid. Occasionally, more advanced care is required to effectively manage the injury.

The DAN First Aid for Hazardous Marine Life Injuries course teaches participants how to identify and avoid potentially hazardous marine life as well as the skills needed to provide first aid when injuries occur.

Neurological Assessment
According to the American Heart Association 2011 update, stroke is the third leading cause of death and the leading cause of long-term disability. In diving, decompression illness (DCI) can result in neurological incident.

This course teaches participants how to identify the signs of a neurological injury and to conduct a neurological assessment, which can provide valuable information if you encounter an individual who may have experienced a stroke or a diving injury with neurological effects. These signs are often vague and can go unrecognized, resulting in delay to treatment. Information gathered from a neurological assessment establishes a critical baseline to assist first aid providers in making informed decisions about care in the field for both diving injuries and possible strokes. This course is designed for divers and nondivers alike.

All of these provider courses are available in a variety of formats to meet your educational needs. To learn more about these programs, call DAN Education at 1-800-446-2671 x.555 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . To find an instructor near you, visit www.DAN.org.

You can also enhance your learning with DAN Medical FAQs, online seminars, articles and quizzes available on www.DAN.org.