Equipment Operation & Maintenance Flashcards

An oxygen concentrator's filter appears dark gray and clogged. The proper maintenance action is to:

Answer: Remove, wash with mild soap and water, rinse, dry completely, and reinstall

Concentrator foam filters should be washed, rinsed, fully dried, and reinstalled to maintain proper airflow and device performance.

A patient using a hospital call light system presses the button but the nurse's station does not respond. After checking that the cord is plugged into the wall outlet, the aide should:

Answer: Report the malfunction to the charge nurse and stay with the patient until the system is fixed

A non-functional call light is a patient safety issue that must be reported immediately, and the patient must not be left without a means to summon help.

Which of the following is the correct sequence for applying a new catheter drainage bag?

Answer: Perform hand hygiene, put on gloves, clamp the catheter, disconnect old bag, connect new bag, unclamp, secure tubing

Clamping the catheter before disconnecting prevents urine backflow and maintains a closed sterile system.

A portable suction canister is three-quarters full during use. The aide should:

Answer: Notify the nurse so the canister can be changed before it overflows

Suction canisters must be changed before they overflow to prevent contamination of the suction pump, and this requires nurse direction.

When a nebulizer mask is labeled 'single patient use,' this means:

Answer: It should be used only by one patient and discarded when no longer needed by that patient

Single-patient-use items are dedicated to one patient for the duration of care and discarded when that patient no longer needs them.

A tympanic (ear) thermometer gives readings that differ by 2°F when used on left versus right ear. The aide should:

Answer: Report the inconsistency to the nurse and remove the thermometer from use for recalibration

Significant bilateral temperature discrepancies suggest the thermometer is malfunctioning and it should be removed for recalibration.

Which situation requires the aide to apply the wheel locks on a transfer wheelchair BEFORE the patient sits down?

Answer: Every time, regardless of whether the chair appears to be on a level surface

Wheel locks must always be engaged before a patient sits or transfers to prevent unexpected chair movement and falls.