MS Equipment Operation & Maintenance 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A scribe is asked to document equipment used during a procedure. Which of the following should be recorded?
- Only the brand name of the equipment
- Device name, model, lot/serial number, and any issues noted (Correct answer)
- The cost of the equipment
- The manufacturer's contact information
Correct answer: Device name, model, lot/serial number, and any issues noted
Accurate equipment documentation for procedures includes the device name, model, lot or serial number, and any malfunctions or issues observed.
Question 2: What is the primary purpose of a biomedical engineering (biomed) department in a hospital?
- Managing patient billing for device use
- Maintaining, calibrating, and repairing medical equipment (Correct answer)
- Training physicians on clinical procedures
- Ordering new pharmaceuticals
Correct answer: Maintaining, calibrating, and repairing medical equipment
The biomedical engineering department is responsible for the maintenance, calibration, repair, and safety testing of medical equipment throughout the facility.
Question 3: What action should be taken if a medical device gives an unexpectedly abnormal patient reading but the patient appears clinically well?
- Report it as a critical value immediately without further evaluation
- Verify with a second measurement or different calibrated device before acting (Correct answer)
- Ignore the reading since the patient looks fine
- Discharge the patient quickly
Correct answer: Verify with a second measurement or different calibrated device before acting
An unexpectedly abnormal reading should be verified with a second measurement or a different calibrated device to rule out equipment error before clinical decisions are made.
Question 4: Which of the following best describes the purpose of equipment calibration?
- Making a device aesthetically clean
- Ensuring a device produces accurate and consistent measurements (Correct answer)
- Increasing the lifespan of a device's battery
- Updating the device's software interface
Correct answer: Ensuring a device produces accurate and consistent measurements
Calibration ensures that a medical device's readings are accurate and consistent by comparing them against a known standard and adjusting as needed.
Question 5: A scribe observes that a glucometer's test strip container was left open and exposed to air. What is the significance of this?
- It improves test strip sensitivity
- Exposure to air can degrade test strips and cause inaccurate glucose readings (Correct answer)
- It prevents contamination by allowing fresh air circulation
- It has no effect on the test strips
Correct answer: Exposure to air can degrade test strips and cause inaccurate glucose readings
Test strips are sensitive to moisture and air exposure, which can cause chemical degradation and lead to inaccurate glucose results.
Question 6: What does the Joint Commission require regarding the documentation of medical equipment maintenance?
- Only verbal confirmation from the biomedical team is needed
- Written records of inspections, maintenance, and repairs must be kept (Correct answer)
- Documentation is optional for equipment under warranty
- Records are required only for surgical instruments
Correct answer: Written records of inspections, maintenance, and repairs must be kept
The Joint Commission requires written maintenance records for medical equipment to ensure accountability, traceability, and patient safety compliance.
Question 7: Which of the following is a correct step when returning a repaired medical device to service?
- Place it back in use immediately without any notification
- Ensure it has been tested, labeled as cleared, and logged by biomedical staff (Correct answer)
- Attach a handwritten note stating it was fixed
- Use it on one patient first to see if it works
Correct answer: Ensure it has been tested, labeled as cleared, and logged by biomedical staff
Repaired equipment must be tested, cleared by biomedical staff, labeled appropriately, and logged before being returned to clinical use to ensure patient safety.
MS Equipment Operation & Maintenance 3
A scribe is asked to document equipment used during a procedure.
Which of the following should be recorded?