87th day of attachment

After Terumo infusion pump, STC-503, was being charged overnight, I test the batteries life while doing the several tests such as flow and occlusion. It shows that the batteries were the main problem for it to unable to run on batteries. However, this is not always the case for it. Sometimes, it was the components that cause the device to lose its ability to run on the batteries. While running the tests, I updated the system with the replacement of batteries for Terumo pump and placing the batteries for the lithium batteries into the infrared ear thermometers.

The 840 series had the same fault again and it is thrice in a month so I think it is the best to inform the vendor about it.

86th day of attachment

My colleague received a call from MICU about the telemetry seems not working as the patient’s ECG reading is not being received and shown on the monitor. According to what I said a few months ago, the patient’s ECG will always be monitored as long as the patient is 4m away from the ward. Telemetry is a portable ECG recorder that will be worn by the patient. We did not really know how to use the monitoring system so with the help of the staff nurse, we managed to see the waveform received by the telemetry. However, no waveform is being produced so my colleague called up the vendor, Philips, for advices. The vendor told us that there is interference between the receiver and telemetry that caused the frequency for the telemetry to be shunned out. Step-by-step instructions are given by the vendor through the phone call.

After responded that call, I wanted to transmit the safety leakage current test result to the system. However, it seems the OTIS is not linked with the Profile. Therefore, we have to scan the result into the work orders until my supervisor created the link between the two programs.

The opthalmoscope that was sent for repair as it will switch off automatically when the opthalmoscope head is tightly fitted in. I placed the head in another opthalmoscope to make sure the fault is not from the head. This is done to narrow down and make the analyzing of fault more efficient.

The deadline for checking of infrared ear thermometers is next Monday since they have to be in used on Friday and Saturday. I hope that I am able to be quick in checking of the thermometers and the batteries will arrived today or tomorrow.

I am still figuring what is wrong with the syringe pump as there is noise when the syringe in use only. I believe most probably it is something with the motor as motor is used to pump a certain volume into the patient.

The batteries for the STC – 503 and EM – 20CH just arrived around 5pm. Therefore, I just replaced the batteries for the STC – 503 as it required to be charged overnight and I could do the preventive maintenance for it.

85th day of attachment

Work orders are created for all of the infrared ear thermometers. While I am waiting for the lithium batteries for the thermometers, I doing repair for other devices. My supervisor demonstrated disassembly of Alphaxcell mattress pump control as I did not change the connector of the pump control before so I just want to give a try. I just don’t know why. After repair each device, I start to feel happy and a sense of accomplishment. It is my first time to feel like this in my 19 years of life. I accomplished my task of replacing the tubing connector for AlphaXcell, active pressure relief system in the morning. I tried to give quality repairs and help my colleague to finish the repair for the month. According to my colleague told me that the delivery of Unicell lithium batteries will be arrived tomorrow so I believe that I only able to finish the checking of ear thermometers by the earliest on this coming Friday.

In the afternoon, I continue doing the repair for Maxhealth, HE-7700 adjusting pump control, as the variable resistor is damaged which cause the knob to turn 360 degree. I changed the variable resistor, 500KΩ. After it is done, I roughly tested the functions and preventive maintenance has to be done since it was due on jan. I called up the vendor, Huntleigh for collection of mattress pump for repair since the air pressure is quite low and it is under warranty. My colleague and I went for delivery of devices to the wards. While on our way to deliver, we saw a trial exercise for sparrowhawk to prepare the staffs for the actual exercise which is on next Friday and Saturday. William from IDS came down to the BME for MEDI-MIZIER software upgrading. The difference between this version with the previous version is more options for the user to key in. However, I still prefer the previous version. May be I am still not used to the new version. I will call Yeow Chong again to remind him for the collection.

84th day of attchment

After reading about the “Cover not closed” function description, I found out that the flag which was at the left hinge of the cover was compressed by the main board. I believe that I had disassembled the main board assembly for the device and accidentally compressed the flag. However, I did solve the problem. I did found out that the flag will rotates about the hinge and operates an opto-sensor on the main board which will indicates the processor the status of the cover. Run the functional tests to test the ability of the device.

There were 35 infrared Ear Thermometers, Terumo EM- 20CH from the Emergency Planning (EP) store have to be checked as they are required for the sparrowhawk exercise. Sparrowhawk exercise is a drill in prepare the staffs for any influenza pandemic case. There was a road show in the afternoon that briefs the medical and non-medical staffs about influenza pandemic preparation. Firstly, the host will talk about what influenza pandemic is and the difference between it with common flu. An episode of ER was shown to us which indicates what the medical team did in a sudden suspected case of small pox. The medical officers were unprepared while the irresponsible patients trying to find their way out of the emergency room. Secondly, Nursing officer will be telling us the which departments will be used for either low risk to virus or high risk and the different routes and colour indication of the risk in spreading the virus. Thirdly, a doctor will be telling us how the virus will evolve into a totally new influenza virus and what all medical staffs afraid is human to human transmission as for now, there is cases showing animal to human transmission. Lastly, Mr Sin will tell what the objectives of the sparrowhawk are and what MOH and AH did for the previous sparrowhawk exercise.

83th day of attachment

I started analyzing the problem with the syringe pump, TE-331, which was sent to BME since last week. The main problem with it was the nurses heard spark sound while it is in use. I checked and did the few tests such as flow and occlusion. The pump is running fine but i am unable to close the job as the Profile system still could not be used as the Profile is not yet fixed.

The PCA pump that i mentioned a few weeks ago about the device could not sense the cover being closed. I started to analyze the problem by reading the service manual and locating where the fault is. Before doing any repair, reading through the service manual and understand it makes the repairing slightly easier.

There are a few repairs that my colleague and i attended. Firstly, we went to emergency department as the physiologic monitor having an error code so we have to notify GoldLite for collection for repair and returned the zimmer cutter to them. Secondly, the printout of the HP defibrillator quite blurry. We found out that the thermal paper is been in the cabinet for 2 years so the printout quality is not that good. After coming across so many devices that have printouts, most of them are using thermal paper.

I transferring signatures and ask for quotation for the rest of the day since there are 60 over signatures in the PDA and transferring into the system to make sure the device are sent to the fellow staff nurses of various departments.