Every day, technological advancements continue to see to the production of machines and devices that help patients live a much better quality of life. These groundbreaking pieces of equipment can get increasingly complex due to this constant improvement. It creates quite a steep learning curve for medical practitioners and caregivers. It is therefore imperative that training on the use of these medical devices be taken as a top priority to avoid further health complications amongst patients. The importance of training and retraining healthcare givers on the use of essential medical devices can’t be over-emphasized.
KEY TIPS FOR DEVELOPING AN EFFECTIVE MEDICAL EQUIPMENT TRAINING PROGRAM
So, designing a comprehensive device training program can help you avoid fatal errors and ensure your patients receive the full benefits of the latest medical technology. Here are some helpful tips on how to do just that.
Repetition is Key
Familiarity and repetition are the keys to learning any new skill. Initial and continued training of all team members can ensure smooth operation and enhance knowledge of updates and changes of each medical device.
Make Training Ongoing and Varied
Incorporate more detailed sessions involving demonstrations for staff to grasp the knowledge required to operate the equipment adequately. These sessions may be longer and addressed to a few staff members at a time to ensure comprehension.
Tailor the experience to the background of the trainees
It helps reduces communication barriers. When this proves difficult due to a large set of trainees, it may help to share them with groups of similar backgrounds.
Provide a competency assessment to all trainees.
Trainees may not be prepared to handle challenges that occur when they begin using the device.Developing an assessment that requires staff members to demonstrate competency in various simulated clinical scenarios will help you ensure that your staff members are qualified to operate the device safely and in all circumstances. For example, learning how to change the default alarm settings on the device to ensure the new settings meet the needs of any specific patient.
Peer-to-Peer training
It is an excellent way to augment the lessons learned during the initial training session. If you provide in-depth training to a handful of staff members, they can become your designated super users. Super users offer additional training and support to other employees one-on-one or in small groups and also serve as mentors should staff members encounter problems or have questions.
Introduce Program in Manageable Segments
It’s difficult to feel completely comfortable operating a medical device if you don’t know how it works. Although there’s usually no need to focus on overly technical details, an explanation of each part of the device and its function is an essential part of a device training program. When your staff knows what section of the equipment is supposed to do, they can more readily identify problems. Providing information on typical malfunctions and instructions regarding what to do if they occur may help your staff feel more confident.
Encourage the use of all available resources.
Seminars and conventions are examples of resources available for group utilization. Individual resources include source materials such as research papers and video tutorials which our partners provide.
Other tips to keep in mind include:
● Explore all possibilities like routines, troubleshooting, maintenance, and critical tasks.
● Provide a hands-on approach with adequate time to absorb the information.
At Sudabelt Medical, we are not just building a healthier society, we hope to bridge the knowledge gap on the use of essential medical devices. As a result, we facilitate timely clinical training and demonstrations channeled towards strengthening knowledge for the delivery of effective healthcare. We also provide support for installation and product usage by our technical experts. Recently we held a 2- day of application training in partnership with Baxter Healthcare on the use and maintenance of the Baxter Prismaflex machine. This training was held in Lagos and Abuja.
