Just a piece of equipment? The importance of medical device education

Darren Brand1

  • 1East Sussex Healthcare NHS trust, Conquest Hospital, The Ridge, St Leonards-on-Sea, TN37 7RD. darren.brand@esht.nhs.uk

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Cleaning, Sterilization, and Disinfection01:30

Cleaning, Sterilization, and Disinfection

Cleaning, disinfection, and sterilization are the methods that help to break the infection chain and prevent disease.
Cleaning
The cleaning process usually involves using water with detergents or enzymatic cleaner and removing foreign material from objects and surfaces, including organic material such as body fluids or inorganic material like soil. Cleaning is performed before high-level disinfection and sterilization because foreign materials on the cover of the devices interfere with process...
Standard Precaution01:26

Standard Precaution

Standard precautions are the minimum infection control safeguards used while caring for all patients, irrespective of their disease condition. They help prevent the spread of common infectious microorganisms to healthcare workers, patients, and visitors in all healthcare settings.
Hand hygiene is the most crucial means to prevent the transmission of disease. Employers are legally required to provide their workers with personal protective equipment (PPE) to minimize exposure or contact with...
Instrumentation Amplifier01:25

Instrumentation Amplifier

An electrocardiography (ECG) machine is an essential piece of medical equipment used to monitor the electrical activity of the heart. It operates by detecting small electrical changes on the skin that result from the depolarization of the heart muscle during each heartbeat. However, these signals are in the microvolt range and can be easily overwhelmed by noise or interference.
To overcome this challenge, an ECG machine utilizes an instrumentation amplifier. This specialized amplifier is...
Personal Protective Equipment01:20

Personal Protective Equipment

Personal protective equipment (PPE) is unique clothing or equipment worn by an employee to minimize or prevent exposure to infectious agents. PPE creates a barrier between the employee and the infectious materials. PPE must be readily available in the patient care area. PPE includes gloves, gowns and aprons, masks and respirators, goggles, face shields, shoes, and headcovers:
Methods of Sterilization II: Chemical Methods01:30

Methods of Sterilization II: Chemical Methods

In healthcare, the chemical method of sterilization uses chemical sterilants to treat surgical instruments and medical supplies to help prevent the transmission of infectious pathogens to patients. Due to heat sensitivity, most medical supplies and equipment should not be exposed to high temperatures. These parts include rubber, plastic, glass, and other similar elements.
Using chemical sterilization rather than heat to clean out equipment is recommended. It eradicates and removes all bacteria,...
Equipments Used to Measure Body Temperature01:13

Equipments Used to Measure Body Temperature

Body temperature can be assessed using various devices and measured in Celsius or Fahrenheit.
Glass-bulb Thermometer:
Glass-bulb thermometers are hollow glass tubes with a bulb tip containing liquid such as ethanol or mercury. Historically, glass bulb mercury thermometers were the standard device to measure body temperature. Today, mercury thermometers are prohibited in many countries due to the hazardous effects of mercury and the risk of exposure if the glass bulb breaks. In general,...