Docfan Academy

A meter that nobody checks, a monitor that was dropped last year, a cuff with a slow leak: each one gives numbers that look serious and are wrong. A device is only as good as its care.

Keep records and keep devices accurate

Keep a simple register for every device: name, model, serial number, place, date received, supplier, end of warranty, service and calibration dates, and faults. A short log next to the device is useful for daily checks and cleaning.

Calibration means comparing the device with a reference and adjusting it so the readings are right. Follow the maker's advice on how often, and calibrate after a drop or a repair. Put the date on a label.

Warranty, service, power and storage

• Keep the invoice, the warranty card and the phone number of the authorised service agent.
• Do not open or repair sealed devices yourself. Unauthorised repairs can void the warranty and make the device unsafe.
• Power cuts and surges are a fact of life. Use a surge protector, a voltage stabiliser or a UPS where the device needs one, and take the batteries out of devices stored for a long time.
• Store as the IFU says: temperature, humidity, away from sun, dust and water. A glucose meter left in a hot car is not stored. It is being cooked.

When something goes wrong

1. Stop using the device for patient care.
2. Check the simple things: batteries, strips or cuff, technique, expiry dates.
3. Compare with a second device or a control.
4. If the problem remains, label it "Do not use", keep it with its packaging and tell your supervisor.
5. Ask whether earlier results from this device may be wrong, and tell the clinician.

Then report it. Tell the supplier the model, the serial or lot number, what happened and when, with a photo if you can. For serious incidents, injury, or a suspected fake or poor-quality device, also report to EFDA through its current reporting system. This is called vigilance. Act on any recall or safety notice you receive.