At present, instrument and equipment maintenance is a fairly complex job. Many organizations have set up an equipment department responsible for the safety and stability of their equipment, yet there are still many issues that maintenance staff do not fully understand or pay enough attention to. Here we would like to explain once again the maintenance and care of medical equipment.

First, detailed day-to-day maintenance is essential to keeping instruments and equipment running normally. Daily maintenance looks simple, but it is often overlooked and most easily neglected — yet big problems usually accumulate from small ones. Work closely with the clinical staff and keep instrument surfaces clean; check that the voltage and power supply are normal before use; during use, watch whether the instrument functions normally and fill in the usage record. Form good habits in routine servicing so that damage can be avoided.

Second, equipment repair must be handled carefully — never in a slipshod way. When a fault occurs, collect information and prepare before repairing: model, serial number, when the fault appeared, whether there was any abnormal noise, whether there was a sudden power failure, whether the instrument had been moved, and so on. During repair, pay attention to the sequence when dismantling medical equipment — never force it apart. Screws and small parts removed should not be left lying around; sort them out to avoid loss. After the repair, reinstall in the reverse order, step by step, with no parts left over. Mark damaged spare parts as well, and restore them correctly after replacement — no mistakes. Once the repair is done, clean the instrument surface, switch on the power and check that it works. Calibrate the instrument, restore normal operating status, then hand it to the user to try out and confirm it has returned to its original working state, so that no hidden risk is left. Finally, tidy up the site, check for any tools left behind, and fill in the repair log for future reference.

Protection during repair. Engineers must always pay attention to protection when repairing instruments — whether against electric leakage or cross-infection — so that unnecessary accidental injury does not occur.

Third, carry out regular maintenance and inspection so that problems are found and solved as early as possible. Detailed preventive maintenance should include:

Appearance check: first check whether the buttons, switches, connectors and sockets are loose or misaligned, whether the contacts of plugs and sockets are oxidized, rusty or making poor contact, whether the power cord is aged, whether heat dissipation and ventilation are normal, and whether the various grounding connections and piping connections are sound.

Cleaning and care: clean the surface of the instrument and its internal electrical and mechanical parts, including cleaning the filter screen and related piping; clean the plugs and sockets to prevent poor contact; and apply oil and lubrication to the necessary mechanical parts.

Replacement of wearing parts: replace in good time any components that have reached the end of their service life or whose performance has declined and no longer meet requirements, as well as parts that the manual specifies should be replaced periodically, so as to prevent a possible fault from spreading or causing a whole-machine failure. Where batteries are undercharged, arrange for the staff concerned to recharge them regularly, eliminating both obvious and potential faults.

Function check: switch on and check whether the indicator lights and indicators are normal; by adjusting and setting the various switches and buttons, enter each function setting to check whether the basic functions of the equipment are normal; and through simulated tests, check whether the alarm functions are normal.

Performance testing and calibration: measure the stabilized voltage of each DC power supply, and the voltage values or waveforms at the test points in the circuit, and carry out the necessary calibration and adjustment according to the manual, so as to ensure that every technical index of the instrument meets the standard and to guarantee its quality in medical diagnosis and treatment.

Safety check: 1. Check whether the frame is firm, whether mechanical operation is normal, and whether any connecting parts are loose, detached or cracked. 2. Check whether the various leads, plugs and connectors are damaged, whether the grounding wire is secure, and whether the grounding resistance and leakage current are within the permitted limits.