Medical equipment repairers are responsible for repairing and maintaining medical equipment. They need to make sure that these are safe, clean and working in top condition.
They use different tools and instruments, including computers and software to determine and fix issues and problems with medical laboratory equipment and other machines such X-ray and ultrasound, electric wheelchairs, hospital beds, respirators, and heart defibrillators.
Nature of Work
Medical equipment repairers are in charge of inspecting and testing malfunctioning and defective medical equipment. In performing these tasks, they use different instruments and follow the recommendations and specifications supplied by the manufacturers. They test medical equipment as well as examine the medical facilities to make sure that they comply with safety laws. They take steps to ensure that equipments are used properly for the protection of patients and medical staff from mechanical or electrical dangers. Medical equipment repairers are also responsible for keeping and updating records of repairs and maintenance activities for all equipment. They service and do regular preventive maintenance on equipment as scheduled such as lubricating, cleaning and making adjustments when required. They perform tests on medical equipment components and calibrate them to make sure they are accurate. New staff may not know how to operate medical equipment so medical equipment repairers are also responsible for explaining and demonstrating the proper operation to them, including how to perform simple preventive maintenance. They may also be required to make evaluations of medical equipment specifications for the purpose of identifying those that are best suited for use in the facility.
Disassemble malfunctioning equipment and remove, repair and replace defective parts such as motors, clutches or transformers. Keep records of maintenance, repair, and required updates of equipment. Perform preventive maintenance or service such as cleaning, lubricating and adjusting equipment. Test and calibrate components and equipment following manufacturers’ manuals and troubleshooting techniques, using hand tools, power tools and measuring devices.
Qualifications
Medical equipment repairers must have expert knowledge of circuit boards, computer chips, processors, and software applications and programming, as well as electrical and electronic equipment. They should possess extensive knowledge of machine designs, maintenance and repair procedures. They should also be knowledgeable about engineering science and technology and how to apply them in the job at hand. They should possess a high skill level of diagnosing and determining the source of errors and malfunctions.