User Care of Medical Equipment: A first line maintenance guide for end-users

1. User Care of Medical Equipment:A first line maintenance guide for end-users Submitted by Name: Ms Nehal Kapadia; Ms Sunema Talapusi Affiliation: Location: Suva-Fiji; Apia-Samoa E-mail address for contact: nehal.kapadia@fnu.ac.fj; sunemat@nhs.gov.ws

2. Country Estimates in Brief Global CE / HTM Success Stories

3. Country's Health Technology ProgramUser Care of Medical Equipment:A first line maintenance guide for end-users • Equipment failure due to user errors are common in pacific island countries though exact figures are not available due to lack of documentation • To provide regional assistance in reduction of user errors, SSCSiP*, through consultancy, developed a manual on User Care of Medical Equipment • The original manual developed for the Indian Ministry of Health and Family Welfare was used to develop a version for the Pacific • A 2 day training was provided to biomedical technicians of 13 Pacific Island Countries on how to train their clinical staff • The manual was revised after receiving comments from the technicians and the final version was published in April 2015. Copies distributed to all 14 countries. • *Strengthening Specialised Clinical Services In The Pacific Global CE / HTM Success Stories

4. Country's Health Technology ProgramNext Steps for Success Story • The Samoan Biomedical Engineering Department took the initiative to conduct user training in its hospital • Consulted with all key stakeholders: • Principal Nurse, Nurse Managers & Senior Nurse Specialist from all the wards in the main hospital TTM • 3 equipment with most number of user errors were selected – ECG machine, Infusion Pump and Patient Monitor. Common errors included: • Fail to charge batteries, Mishandling of consumables • Not cleaning or removing dirt or dried blood off machine • Incorrect loading of paper or reverse loading of infusion line • 61 Nursing staff were trained Global CE / HTM Success Stories

5. Conclusions and Action Plan • Comparison of calls and hours spent on end-user error before and after 10 months of training showed: • 28% reduction for end-user error related calls • 47% reduction in number of hours spent on end-user errors • Availability of functional equipment in a ward increased • Nurses gained confidence in using equipment correctly and caring for it. • Trainings are held now in wards on regular basis and for all new equipment • SSCSiP continues to advocate for User Care of Medical Equipment and plans for it to be incorporated into the Fiji Nursing School Curriculum. Global CE / HTM Success Stories