Title :
An evidence-based approach to developing a training programme for the maintenance of oxygen concentrators in low-resource settings
Author :
Bradley, B.D. ; Cheng, Y.-L. ; Nyassi, E. ; Peel, D. ; Howie, S.R.C.
Author_Institution :
Dept. of Chem. Eng. & Appl. Chem., Univ. of Toronto Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
Abstract :
Oxygen concentrators are an appropriate and low-cost technology for supplying medical oxygen in low-resource settings; however some maintenance and occasional repairs are required to optimise their longevity. Through a skillmapping analysis based on historical concentrator repair logs, we identified 31 basic technician skills that would be sufficient for the repair of over 90% of observed oxygen concentrator failures as well as for routine preventive maintenance. Most of these skills are drawn from the library of Biomedical Technician Assistant skills developed by the Developing World Healthcare Technologies Lab and Engineering World Health. We use this skill-mapping analysis to propose an evidence-based training curriculum specifically tailored to the maintenance of oxygen concentrators in low-resource settings.
Keywords :
biomedical education; health care; oxygen; personnel; preventive maintenance; Biomedical Technician Assistant skills; Developing World Healthcare Technologies Lab; Engineering World Health; basic technician skills; evidence-based approach; evidence-based training curriculum; historical concentrator repair logs; low-cost technology; low-resource settings; medical oxygen supply; occasional repairs; oxygen concentrator failures; routine preventive maintenance; skill-mapping analysis; training programme; biomedical technician assistant; clinical engineering; developing countries; low-resource settings; maintenance; oxygen concentrator; training;
Conference_Titel :
Appropriate Healthcare Technologies for Low Resource Settings (AHT 2014)
