PADI Rescue Diver course in Nusa Penida

The PADI Rescue Diver course in Nusa Penida is the most important training in your recreational diver curriculum. You will learn to rescue others and for the first time in your diver training you will be oriented towards looking out for other and preventing potential problems. Becoming a trusted diving buddy with the ability to rescue is a real plus in your development in the world of diving. Knowing the actions that can save a diver is very rewarding and will allow you to maintain control in emergency situations, making you more prepared to enjoy your future dives. The PADI Rescue Diver course is great exposure to the outside world and this training will be able to serve you at all times, even in your everyday life. It is often said to be a turning point in your life as a diver, with knowledge and experience that increases the overall safety of your dives. This is why the Rescue diver course is a compulsory prerequisite before any other professional diver training course.

To be able to do your Rescue course you will first need to take the EFR (Emergency First Response) course or have an equivalence in first and second aid (including CPR). Please note, the Rescue Diver course is an opening to diver safety, assisting  divers and how to manage stressful situations....  There is no better way to enhance your own skills and knowledge, while making you a more confident diver and enabling you to become a safer diving buddy. 

• Minimum PADI Adventure Diver with Navigation specialty or Advanced Open Water or equivalent from another training organization.
• Completion of first and secondary care course within the last 3 years, ideally EFR (Emergency First Response). In case you don't have any training, we will be more than happy to train or refresh your skills in Nusa Penida.
• Min 12 years old (Junior Rescue Diver)

Becoming a "first responder" or rescuer is really very rewarding, it will give you more knowledge and confidence to face stressful post-accident situations. This training can help you in your everyday life because you will know how to react and in what order to act. You will learn that it is better to provide adequate care than withholding perfect care. 

The training includes an academic part with the manual and the video. Each theory section will be reviewed with practical exercises and scenarios. You will also have to do several full scenarios of emergency situations, this is where the creativity of your instructors will surprise you, remember there is not always just one way to react.

The Rescue Diver course consists of a theoretical part containing 5 chapters and a video. Each chapter contains a knowledge review at the end of it, which you will need to complete. This is to make sure that you understand the topic covered in each chapter. At the very end of the theoretical course you will have to pass an exam in the form of 50 multiple-choice questions. Usually your instructor will let you read the manual and watch the videos section by section and correct the knowledge reviews with you. Our students like to watch the videos of the Rescue Diver course on our tablets rather than in the classroom, so they can stay in our relaxation area near the pool, the bar, lying on a lounge chair or in our hammocks. The beautiful student life in Nusa Penida! Should you wish to complete the theory online via eLearning, please let us know.

The practical part reviews the knowledge acquired including a Self Rescue and 10 exercises to familiarize you with all the rescue techniques, you will first practice these in the swimming  pool. You will then take the next step where you get to go over the 10 Exercises in the open water of Nusa Penida, followed by two rescue scenarios. For more realism the scenarios will be done during real boat trips with of course your instructor, assistant divemaster but also any of our diving clients wishing to participate. 

Breakdown of Rescue Diver course theory in Nusa Penida

Section One of Rescue diver course in Nusa Penida

•  The psychology of rescue and the cause of Diver emergencies. The 3 considerations before attempting a rescue.
• Recognizing Diver stress, physical and psychological stress. Handling peer pressure.
• How to be prepared for a Diver Emergency. What is a well stocked first aid kits. Advantages of a pocket mask.
• The 3 Emergency Oxygen delivery systems. How and when to use them.
• Automated external defibrillators (AEDs). Benefits and restrictions.
• Accident management. Roles of a rescuer and the 6 basics steps for emergency management.
• What is a local emergency assistance plan.
• Responding to diver emergencies
• • Self rescue - look after yourself first. Physical, mental and equipment preparation. Prevention utility. The 5 dive skills to be better prepared to deal with  a problem: buoyancy control, airway control, cramp removal, handling air depletion, responding to vertigo.
• Recognizing rescue situation - Responsive diver at the surface from shore or boat.
• • Diver signs and behaviors indicate problem.
  • The characteristics of tired and panicked diver.
  • Nonswimming assists and rescues techniques.
• Assisting the responsive diver at the surface (rescuer in the water).
• • Tired diver rescue techniques: approach, evaluation, how to contact, reassure, assist and transport, equipment removal.
  • Panicked diver rescue techniques: approach and evaluation, contact techniques, reassure, assist and transport.

Section Two of Rescue diver course in Nusa Penida

• The psychology of rescue. Recognize your own stress, evaluate and recognize divers stress. The 4 steps to solution thinking.
• Diving equipment function and related problems/solutions. Cylinders and valves, regulators, alternate air source, pressure gauge, BCDs and low pressure inflators, masks, weight and weight release system.
• Accident management - Common aquatic life injuries, first aid step and specific treatments for each injuries.
• Responding to responsive divers at the surface.
• • Entry and approach considerations.
  • What is a quick reverse.
  • Using emergency flotation. 
  • Management of multiple responsive divers at the surface.
• Exit with a responsive diver techniques. What to take into consideration. Environment and victim's condition. Towing and exit techniques.
• Post attendance and the 3 concerns you need to handle while on the boat or shore.

Section Three of Rescue diver course in Nusa Penida

• Emergency action plans. What need to be include and what are the benefits of emergency procedures.
• Basic life support (BLS) for dive emergencies. What types of dive accidents can require BLS?
• Emergency care and the 7 steps for primary assessment. 
• Managing shock. The 9 signs and symptoms of shock.
• Secondary assessment.
• Thermal problems: heat exhaustion, heat stroke and hypothermia.
• Managing an emergency underwater, signs and response for:
• • Overexertion.
  • Uncontrolled descent and excessive buoyancy.
  • Cramps,entanglement and entrapment.
  • Passive and active panic.
• Missing diver procedures
• • Evaluation of situation and the 5 steps to apply for missing diver.
  • What are the most appropriate search patterns. Surface led search, U pattern, expanding square, circular search...

Section Four of Rescue diver course in Nusa Penida

• Psychological consequences after critical incident stress. The 12 signs and symptoms of critical incident stress.
• Pressure related injuries. Signs and symptoms of decompression illness (DCI).
• • Lung overexpansion injuries: air embolism, mediastinal emphysema, subcutaneous emphysema, pneumothorax.
  • Decompression sickness (DCS). Signs and symptoms.
  • Squeezes. Ears and sinuses, mask, suit.
• First aid for decompression illness and management.
• Management of drowning and near drowning.
• Managing an unresponsive diver at the surface. Procedures and techniques.
• Inwater rescue breathing techniques.
• Procedures for unresponsive diver underwater.
• Equipment removal techniques. 

Section Five of Rescue diver course in Nusa Penida

• Post accident reports
• Use of emergency Oxygen procedures.
• Managing the scene until help arrives and collect information.
• Exiting techniques with an Unresponsive diver.
• • Shore techniques: saddleback carry, packstraps carry, fireman's carry.
  • lifeguard exit, roll up technique and ladder exit.

To complete the Rescue diver course theory each student will have to carry out a complete emergency assistance plan. The emergency assistance plan have to be related to Nusa Penida area.

The rescue divers course in Nusa Penida include 10 skills you will have to perform in the swimming pool and in open water.

• Self rescue review: Cramp release, establish buoyancy at the surface, airway control, alternate air source breathing, overcoming vertigo.

• 1 - Tired Diver
• • Techniques of approach, evaluation, make contact, reassure the diver, assists and transport, equipment removal.

• 2 - Panicked Diver
• • Approach and evaluation.
  • Making contact techniques. Surface and underwater.
  • Releases techniques.
  • Approach with quick reverse.

• 3 - Assist responsive Diver from shore, boat, dock. Without diving gear.
• • Nonswimming assists.
  • Water entries and procedures.
  • Swimming assists.
  • Tows 3 techniques.
  • Exiting types.

• 4 - Distressed Diver underwater.
• • How to react to a diver having overexertion underwater.
  • React to a panicked Diver making uncontrolled ascent.
  • Out of air emergency situation and ascent.

• 5 - Missing Diver.
• • Missing diver procedures.
  • Evaluation and organization.
  • Search pattern.
  • Find missing diver

• 6 - Surfacing the unresponsive Diver.
• • Establish a light positive buoyancy and controlled ascent.
  • Surfacing the unresponsive diver techniques.

• 7 - Unresponsive Diver at the surface.
• • Make contact, secure and check for breathing.
  • Inwater rescue breathing techniques (pocket mask & Covid protocol).
  • Equipment removal techniques and towing.

• 8 - Exiting the unresponsive Diver.
• • Exit with a breathing unresponsive diver techniques.
  • Exit with a nonbreathing diver.

• 9 - First Aid for pressure related injuries and Oxygen administration.
• • Administer Oxygen to a breathing unresponsive diver.
  • Administer Oxygen to a nonbreathing diver.

• 10 - Response from shore/boat to unresponsive nonbreathing diver at the surface.
• • This exercice combines most of the skills student diver have been learning so far. It is a preparation for the upcoming scenarios.

The rescue course scenarios will allow you to put into practice all the skills that you learned in the swimming pool and at sea. Scenario needs to be as realistic as possible. Scenarios will be conduct on a dive site of Nusa Penida.

• Scenario 1:  Unresponsive Diver underwater.
• Scenario 2: Unresponsive Diver at the surface.