Chapter Five
- Equipment management
Types of equipment
Equipment is divided into two types: the consumable type and the non-consumable type, and equipment management includes both types.
- Expendable equipment: It is the equipment that is used in a short time, such as medical cotton, single-use syringes, etc
- Non-expendable equipment: It is the equipment that lasts for several years and needs care and maintenance. This equipment is divided into two types, fixed and non-fixed:
o Fixed non-expendable equipment: This is the equipment installed in the wall or floor of the hospital, such as sinks, sterilization devices, etc.
o Non-expendable equipment that is mobile or fixed: includes tools that have been used for more than five years, such as wheelchairs, trolleys, etc.
. Equipment management procedures:
There are four main procedures in equipment management:
- the demand
- Storage
- Exchange
- Monitoring and maintenance
– 1. Equipment Request:
Requesting equipment includes the following skills:
- Prepare a list of needs and resources based on knowledge of previous use and an estimate of the current rate of use
- Balancing needs, available resources, and estimating costs
- Fill out the application form.
-2. Equipment storage:
- Equipment can be stored in one of two places:
o A main or reserve store where quantities are kept and not used
o Where the equipment is used after it is released from the warehouse
o Storing equipment requires the following skills:
o Recording the receipt of new items and recording what is disbursed
o Keeping daily records or cards for inventory
– 3. Equipment disbursement:
o The nurse is responsible for some equipment. For example, the nurse in the maternity ward is responsible for scales, syringes, serums, birth equipment, and other devices.
o After requesting and receiving the equipment and then recording it in the inventory book or register, it can be disbursed whenever needed
o There are three written procedures that are followed when disbursing equipment and are recorded in the records designated for this purpose:
o Disbursement record: that is, writing the disbursement in the inventory book
o Issuing an exchange permit for signature
o A record of the assets of the department that receives and uses the equipment
– 4. Equipment monitoring and maintenance:
o Expendable equipment needs to be monitored to avoid wastage, while non-expendable equipment needs maintenance to maintain it in a usable condition.
o Monitoring and maintaining equipment requires the following skills:
o Convince workers of the need to clean equipment and keep it in good condition
o Use an inspection checklist
o Discover any differences in the equipment and find out its cause.
. The importance of equipment records and their benefits:
o Referring to records of previous orders facilitates the preparation of subsequent orders, whether after a month or a year, as the supplier’s address, item number, and quantities required can be identified under normal circumstances.
o Knowing the quantity in the inventory register is a good indicator of when it is time to order more supplies, avoiding long periods without essential equipment.
o Exchange permits specify the party responsible for caring for, breaking or damaging equipment, and they also encourage workers to bear responsibility.
o Inventory lists help quickly inspect equipment and discover discrepancies, waste, extravagance and theft.