EBME Forums Forums Management Medical Equipment Management calibration of defibrillator

HI

Following on from the advice given above - when we encounter a 'new' device (any item of Biomedical equipment) and we need to write/review our test procedure, we revert to the simple question of what does the equipment do? And then monitor/measure appropriate parameters around those functions.

So for your defibs:-
All following tests on battery power:-
Max power output (record measured versus set power - are within tolerence?)
If you wish, also record volts and amps at max power.
It is a good idea to scope the waveform (nice smooth rise and falls)
If its an AED - it will charge on vfib and no shock advised on normal sinus rythm
If AED - the first, second, third shock are power stepping (or not as according to your resus council guide lines)
Charge time to max (within spec's)
Sync - that it can and within tolerance for peak and base
If it has a printer - that the printer works properly (good idea to add printout of test firing to your records)
We used to record every power setting delivered energy on older dial gauge defibs (LP9 etc) but with 'digital' defibs that change power setting by 1J steps this could be time consuming - we take a three or four power settings down the power scale and ensure what set is what is delivered - with special attention to 10joules and less
ECG trace - with power set to zero - short both paddles together and shake the cables - there will be noise and just a wobble on the bas line according to the cables bounce.
Then set the paddles on the tester and measure a known rythm and compare what is set to what is measured - then do the same with the lead set.
Finally, of course, electrical safety.

That summarises a basic defib test from my point of view - this of course does not include a pacing defib - for which we would add the pacing tests.

We use the Fluke defib tester (with pacing option) - so far I've not come across a defib it will not test.

Now for the cotiversy - Once you have the tester etc set up , it should only take 15mins to actually test a defib - so say say 30 mins total time per defib per test and We also have dropped our testing frequency down to every twelve months - remember that the users test the defib every week at least.


As very rule of thumb (guesss)- we would recommend about 1200 to 1500 items of Biomedical equipment per year. We have pushed this to about 1800 items per Biomed per year (but the Biomed does very little of anything else).

Hope this helps.

Regards

Phil