What can you do to contribute to patient safety? You may not be a biomedical engineer but there are still some simple precautions that you can take when it comes to medical equipment safety. All medical staff can positively contribute to the safety of the facility by looking out for these five things:
- Damaged Plug Head / Exposed Wires are extremely hazardous, possibly leading to electrocutions or fires.
- Devices with an expired or missing PM Sticker mean that the device is not approved for patient use. Using this device to treat or diagnose patients can put the patient or provider at risk.
- Display Issues from residue on medical equipment, including lint, dirt, dust, adhesive tape residue, and dried liquids. If you can’t see an important display or instruction, that’s definitely going to be a safety hazard!
- A damaged chassis/case exposes the inner workings to dirt, electrical interference, and other obstructions to the proper running of the machinery.
- Worn out buttons can prevent equipment from working if they no longer work or do not give clear indications of their functions.
All of these things can affect device performance and safety as well as lead to a shorter lifespan for equipment. Remember, everyone contributes to medical equipment safety!