Chapter 30

Biomedical Technology

Health Care
Science
Technology

Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

 Objectives

 Discuss the role and responsibilities

of a biomedical equipment technician
(BMET).
 Identify two safety responsibilities of
a BMET.
 Compare the roles and
responsibilities of the biomedical
engineer and the industrial hygienist.
2 Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Chapter 30
 Objectives (cont.)

 Identify safe electric current

leakage limits for biomedical
equipment.
 Identify the two classes of
medical equipment that are
safety-tested.

3 Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Chapter 30

 Objectives (cont.)

 Identify wire color codes used in

hospitals.
 Define preventive maintenance.
 Define macroshock and
microshock.
 Successfully complete 1 procedure
in biomedical technology.

4 Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Chapter 30

 Careers in Biomedical
Technology 30-1

 Biomedical Equipment
Technician
 Biomedical Engineer
 Industrial Hygienist

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 Biomedical Equipment Technician

 The need for biomedical

equipment technicians (BMETs)
arose with the introduction of
complex equipment to
diagnose, prevent, and cure
disease and illness.

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 Biomedical Equipment
Technician (cont.)
 A BMET is
knowledgeable about:
– The theory of operation.
– The underlying
physiologic principles.
– The practical, safe
clinical application of
biomedical equipment.

7 Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Chapter 30

 Biomedical Equipment
Technician (cont.)
 The Job of the Biomedical
Equipment Technician
– BMETs work for:
 Large hospitals.
 Medical equipment manufacturers and
distributors.
 Medical supply firms.
 Medical research organizations.
 Teaching establishments.

8 Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Chapter 30

 Biomedical Equipment
Technician (cont.)
 The Job of the Biomedical
Equipment Technician (cont.)
– BMETs should have:
 Better than average manual
dexterity.
 Mechanical and electrical
inclination.
 Numerical ability.
 Color vision.
 An above-average work ethic.

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 Biomedical Equipment
Technician (cont.)

 The Job of the Biomedical

Equipment Technician (cont.)
– Install, calibrate, and service
equipment.
– Train new users.
– Apply basic troubleshooting to
unfamiliar layout and operations.

10 Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Chapter 30

 Biomedical Equipment
Technician (cont.)

 The Job of the Biomedical

Equipment Technician (cont.)
– Evaluate equipment for servicing.
– Repair equipment.
– Maintain parts inventory.
– Test for electrical safety.

11 Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Chapter 30

 Biomedical Equipment
Technician (cont.)

 Education and Internship

– College programs include the study of:
 Details of electronic components and
circuits.
 Design and construction of biomedical
equipment.
 Physiologic and electronic principles.
 Physics.
 Medical terminology.
 Anatomy and physiology.
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 Biomedical Equipment
Technician (cont.)

 Job Responsibilities
– Carry out preventive maintenance.
– Train personnel on the use and care
of equipment.
– Track maintenance and service.
– Make recommendations on
replacements.

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 Biomedical Engineer

 Uses skills to analyze and solve

problems in biology and
medicine.
 Designs and develops biomedical
equipment.
 Sometimes called a clinical
engineer.
 Education ranges from associate
degree to Ph.D. degree.
14 Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Chapter 30
 Biomedical Engineer (cont.)

 The Job of the Biomedical

Engineer
– Works in specialty areas including
biomaterials, biomechanics, medical
imaging, rehabilitation, and
orthopedic engineering.
– Works with other health care
professionals including physicians,
nurses, therapists, and technicians.
15 Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Chapter 30
 Biomedical Engineer (cont.)

 Job Responsibilities
– Develop devices such as hearing aids;
cardiac pacemakers; artificial kidneys and
hearts; synthetic blood vessels; and
prosthetic joints, arms, and legs.
– Oversee automated client monitoring during
surgery or in intensive care.
– Monitor healthy people in unusual
environments such as space.

16 Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Chapter 30

 Biomedical Engineer (cont.)

 Job Responsibilities (cont.)

– Develop therapeutic and surgical devices
such as laser systems for eye surgery and
automated delivery of insulin.
– Advise on sports medicine, rehabilitation, and
support devices.
– Design computerized blood sample analyzers,
cardiac catheters, and other equipment for
use in clinical laboratories.

17 Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Chapter 30

 Industrial Hygienist

 Also known as an occupational

health and safety inspector,
specialist, or technician.
 Keeps workspaces and workers
safe.

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 Industrial Hygienist (cont.)

 The Job of an Industrial Hygienist

– Looks for conditions and practices
that are not safe.
– Creates methods to predict hazards
using the scientific method.

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 Industrial Hygienist (cont.)

 Job Responsibilities
– Inspect and test machinery and
equipment.
– Check that personal protective
equipment is being used in workplaces.
– Check that dangerous materials are
stored properly.
– Test and identify work areas for potential
accident and health hazards.
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 Industrial Hygienist (cont.)

 Job Responsibilities (cont.)

– Prepare and calibrate scientific
equipment.
– Assist with rehabilitation of workers.
– Prepare reports including
observations, analysis of
contaminants, and recommendations
for control and correction of hazards.

21 Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Chapter 30

 Section 30-1
Apply Your Knowledge

Which biomedical career installs,

calibrates, and services equipment?

Answer:
The BMET.

22 Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Chapter 30

 Biomedical Technology Procedures
30-2

 Safety

23 Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Chapter 30

 Biomedical Technology Procedures
(cont.)

 The Association for the

Advancement of Medical
Instrumentation (AAMI)
developed the first standards
for the manufacture and
safety of medical equipment.
 Biomedical technology
departments are expanding
into the areas of telemedicine
and teleradiology.
24 Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Chapter 30
 Safety

 A current of more than 10

milliamperes can cause paralysis
in the human body.
 Electrical inspection has become
a very complete preventive
maintenance (PM) inspection, due
to the requirements of the Joint
Commission on Accreditation of
Healthcare Organizations
(JCAHO).
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 Safety (cont.)

 Electrical Safety Testing

– Keep electricity in its place.
– Medical treatment facilities
(MTF) use color-coded wires,
plugs, and outlets marked
“hospital-grade.”
– Electric currents that
continue for more than one
heart cycle may cause
fibrillation.
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 Safety (cont.)

 Equipment Classes
– The two classes of medical
equipment are class A and class
B.

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 Safety (cont.)

 Class A Equipment
– Used in critical client care areas.
– Usually, with class A equipment, the
client has a direct line of electrical
conduction to the heart.
– Operating rooms, emergency rooms,
and recovery rooms are examples of
class A areas.

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 Safety (cont.)

 Class B Equipment
– Used in general client care and
examination rooms.
– Examples of class B equipment are
examination tables, electric hospital
beds, and laboratory equipment.

29 Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Chapter 30

 Safety (cont.)

 Leakage Current
– Naturally occurring current that results from
distributed capacitance within equipment or
power cords and that leaks from electronics to
the metal chassis of the equipment to ground.
– The acceptable leakage current in class A
areas is 10 microamps.
– The acceptable leakage current in class B
areas is 500 microamps.

30 Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Chapter 30

 Safety (cont.)

 Leakage Current (cont.)

– The 6 main categories of leakage
current are:
 Loss of instrument ground.
 Voltage variations caused by inadequate
grounding or improper ground wiring.
 Current originating from an instrument
during use on a client.

31 Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Chapter 30

 Safety (cont.)

 Leakage Current (cont.)

– The 6 main categories of leakage
current are (cont.):
 Inducted current from other high-energy
sources.
 Self-generating currents or voltage
differentials.
 Other modes of leakage or means of
generating current.
32 Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Chapter 30
 Safety (cont.)

 Macroshock and Microshock

– Macroshock is a large value of
electric current that passes from
one arm to the other, usually
externally on the skin.
– Microshock is a small value of
electric current that passes directly
through the heart.

33 Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Chapter 30

 Section 30-2
Apply Your Knowledge

Where might you expect to find

class A equipment?

Answer:
In critical client care areas such as
operating rooms, emergency rooms,
and recovery rooms.
34 Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Chapter 30
 Procedures in Student Text

30A Performing an Electrical

Safety Test

35 Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Chapter 30

 Chapter 30 Credits

Slide 7 Total Care Programming, Inc.

Slide 9 Total Care Programming, Inc.
Slide 13 Total Care Programming, Inc.
Slide 24 Courtesy International
Medical Innovations
Slide 26 Bill Aron/PhotoEdit

36 Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Chapter 30