DAN Instructor Course
DAN Instructors are scuba diving educators who want to offer dive safety programs to their students. To become a DAN Instructor, you must participate in a DAN Instructor Qualification Course (IQC). As a DAN Instructor, you can offer your students ten classes that will help make them safer divers. You do not have to become an instructor for all the DAN courses you can pick and choose what courses you would like to teach.
The IQC follows a modular format. All candidates are required to take the Core Module and then a separate module representing each training program. You can take all 11 modules as part of one course, or just take the Core Module and one course module - whatever you are interested in teaching. Later, as long as you remain a current and active DAN Instructor, you can take additional modules without retaking the Core Module.
The Core Module is online in English, Spanish, and Portuguese.
Read our Frequently Asked Questions
Here are all of the classes you can teach as a DAN Instructor:
Oxygen First Aid for Scuba Diving Injuries
As a recreational diver, you can receive training to provide vital first aid that can make a difference to a scuba diver with decompression illness. The DAN Oxygen Provider Course provides entry-level training in the recognition and management of possible diving-related injuries using emergency oxygen first aid.
Advanced Oxygen First Aid for Scuba Diving Injuries
This advanced-level program is designed to train existing DAN Oxygen Providers to use the MTV-100 or a Bag Valve Mask while providing care for a non-breathing injured diver.
First Aid for Hazardous Marine Life Injuries
Serious hazardous marine life injuries are rare, but most divers experience minor discomfort from unintentional encounters with fire coral, jellyfish and other marine creatures. This course teaches divers to minimize these injuries and reduce diver discomfort and pain.
Automated External Defibrillators for Scuba Diving
More than 10 percent of all dive fatalities are actually caused by cardiovascular disease, according to DAN dive accident and fatality statistics. This course teaches divers and other interested parties to provide care for sudden cardiac arrest including the use of an automated external defibrillator (AEDs).
Basic Life Support and First Aid
Basic Life Support, or BLS, includes airway management skills such as the log roll and recovery position, one rescuer cardiopulmonary resuscitation and additional skills like caring for a choking patient, controlling bleeding and caring for a patient in shock. The first aid portion of this program includes key skills such as illness and injury assessments, bandaging and splinting skills and emergency moves.
Basic Life Support for Dive Professionals
The remote nature of dive accidents, whether a few hours from shore or days from civilization, frequently requires more advanced levels of care than are offered by traditional or entry-level CPR programs.
On-Site Neurological Assessment for Divers
Learn how to conduct a neurological assessment on a potentially injured diver in this course. The information gained in this assessment can help convince a diver of the need for oxygen first aid, and help a dive physician determine the proper treatment.
Diving First Aid for Professional Divers
This program is intended for divers who are required to have first aid, CPR and oxygen first aid training prior to diving as part of their job responsibilities. It combines the key skills of CPR and first aid training with the DAN Oxygen First Aid for Scuba Diving Injuries, AEDs for Scuba Diving and First Aid for Hazardous Marine Life Injuries courses.
Dive Medicine for Divers Part 1
When you want to know more than just basic first aid techniques, this program is for you. This modular program includes sections on fitness to dive, safety planning and basic physical examinations.
Dive Medicine for Divers Part 2
When you want to know more than just basic first aid techniques, this program is for you. This modular program includes sections on fitness to dive, safety planning and basic physical examinations.
Dive Medicine for Divers Part 3
When you want to know more than just basic first aid techniques, this program is for you. This modular program includes sections on fitness to dive, safety planning and basic physical examinations.
Diving Emergency Management Provider Program
Learn the knowledge and skills from several courses into one single approach to dive emergency management.
Diving Emergency Specialist (DES)
Learn about DAN’s new recognition program for divers who are interested in dive safety.
Prerequisites for DAN Instructor Qualification Course:
DAN Member
Active scuba diving educator*
Current CPR Instructor if not completing this from DAN
Documentation of First Aid training
Additional Prerequisites for these DAN IQC Modules:
Advanced Oxygen First Aid for Scuba Diving Injuries
Oxygen First Aid for Scuba Diving Injuries Instructor
On-Site Neurological Assessment for Divers
Oxygen First Aid for Scuba Diving Injuries Instructor
Dive Medicine for Divers Part 2
Dive Medicine for Divers Part 1
Diving First Aid for Professional or Commercial Divers
Current DAN Instructor Trainers and Instructors who are certified to teach Oxygen First Aid for Scuba Diving Injuries, AEDs for Scuba Diving and First Aid for Hazardous Marine Life Injuries, and who meet the other criteria, may complete an online crossover to be certified in this program as well.
Diving Emergency Management Provider
To offer this program, DAN Instructor Trainers and Instructors must be in Active Teaching Status for:
Oxygen First Aid for Scuba Diving Injuries
Advanced Oxygen First Aid for Scuba Diving Injuries
First Aid for Hazardous Marine Life Injuries
Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) for Scuba Diving
* Note about the scuba diving educator requirement: Any scuba diving instructor or assistant instructor with a recognized scuba training organization can attend the IQC. A divemaster/divecon who is also a CPR and First Aid instructor with a recognized training agency can also attend the IQC.
