About the Medical Equipment programme
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4Equipment is an elearning resource for clinical staff to ensure their medical equipment knowledge is relevant and up-to-date. Launched in 2010, the project was initially set up by NHS Training for Innovation (TFI) in partnership with Health Education England elearning for healthcare; it is maintained by Health Education England elearning for healthcare, and endorsed by the National Association of Medical Device Educators and Trainers (NAMDET).
Aimed at all healthcare professionals within NHS Trusts, e4Equipment provides high quality training in the safe and effective use of medical equipment technology. The resource can be integrated into existing training programmes and complemented by practical workshops. Content has been based on best practice advice.
The development process has included consultation with medical equipment trainers, and national bodies such as the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, National Health Service Improvement (Patient Safety), Care Quality Commission, National Health Service Litigation Authority and Standards for Better Health.
e4Equipment is available in easy to use bite-sized chunks of elearning that can be accessed at a time and place that suits.
More information
This elearning resource supports the professional development of registered practitioners and support staff throughout the NHS, in line with good practice.
Written and approved by Medical Equipment trainers, e4Equipment consists of around 50 sessions across the following modules:
- Module 1: Infusion Devices – Volumetric Pumps
- Module 2: Infusion Devices – Syringe Pumps
- Module 3: Suction Units
- Module 4: Safe Use of Beds and Mattresses
- Module 5: Safe Use of Moving and Handling Equipment
- Module 6: Pain Management Pumps
- Module 7: Basic Observation / Monitoring Equipment
- Module 8: Bariatric Equipment
- Module 9: The safe use, storage and set up of medical gases and cylinders used in healthcare
The safe use, storage and set up of medical gases and cylinders used in healthcare module
This course is a national elearning resource for all staff that use medical gases, those that prescribe, and those that handle, transport and connect medical gases to patients and healthcare equipment.
The programme aims to ensure that staff are knowledgeable about medical gas safety, risks and governance and will be able to apply this knowledge in practice.
There are seven sections to complete. Some have ‘knowledge checks‘ and tests to perform, short videos to watch, images to scroll through and links to valuable resources. In addition, there is an end-of-course quiz (pass rate 80%).
The course also contains several hyperlinks and downloadable files and resources. You do not have to access all these links and documents, but they can be used as valuable resources for future reference.
In total, including the learning time, watching videos and the quiz, the whole course should take approximately 60 minutes.
By the end of this course, you will be able to:
- List a number of common medical gases used in hospitals and healthcare settings
- Explain the information contained on a typical medical gas cylinder label
- Know the safety checks to carry out when using a medical gas cylinder
- Describe how to turn on, and off a portable oxygen cylinder
- Know the capacity and usage of standard oxygen cylinder sizes
- Explain how to carry out leak checks when fitting medical gas cylinders to medical devices
- List a number of safety concerns when using medical gas cylinders and oxygen therapy in healthcare setting
- Know the location of resources to help in the safe use and management of medical gas cylinders.
- Know how to report errors and defects to the MHRA
Why the elearning was developed
A significant knowledge gap, continued reports of injury and harm, and a lack of national ‘free to access’ training resources prompted the team at NAMDET to design and develop this course for all users of medical gases and cylinders in healthcare.
When you pass the course, you will be given access to download and save your copy of the Medical Gas and Cylinder Safety training course workbook. This can be a helpful resource and reminder to remain vigilant when using medical gases and gas cylinders. This Workbook can be downloaded and saved as a PDF or printed out as a hard copy.
In addition to this course, follow-up courses are being developed that look at the following;
- Prescribing and administering oxygen for healthcare staff that manage and monitor patient oxygen percentage levels.
- Safe replacement of medical gas cylinders used on manifold banks, specifically for portering and hospital engineering staff that connect cylinders to hospital gas manifolds and pipeline systems.
Audiences
This course is aimed at anyone that uses medical gases and cylinders in healthcare. That could be nurses, doctors, pharmacists, porters, engineers and healthcare assistants. It includes background information about safety, cylinder colour codes, connections, when things go wrong, how to connect regulators, and how long cylinders should last, depending on the prescribed flow rate. The course also looks at safety alerts and notices over the years, the importance of sharing best practices and tips, and the importance of following manufacturers’ guidelines to ensure a safe working environment for patients and employees.
Project team 2017
Andy Flood RODP
Clinical Project Lead
Patricia Howe
Project Manager, HEE elearning for healthcare
Claire Beattie
Learning Designer, HEE elearning for healthcare
Project team 2010
- Julia Moore OBE – National Director, HEE elearning for healthcare
- Tim Rubidge – Operations Director, NHS Training for Innovation
- Andy Flood RODP and Carol McCubbin – Clinical Project Leads
- Chris Cammack – Platform Administrator, HEE elearning for healthcare
- Alan Ryan – National Programme Director, HEE elearning for healthcare
- Maire Smith – Director, NHS Training for Innovation
- Maddie Wheeler RGN – Author
- Martha Aizelwood – Lead Learning Designer, HEE elearning for healthcare
Project team 2023
- Robert J. Matthews – Medical Devices Training Manager, Cwm Taf University Health Board, Pontypridd, South Wales
- Mary Caddies – Medical Device Training Lead. Barts Health NHS Trust, London
- Eugene Doherty – Medical Devices Coordinator, Belfast Health and Social Care Trust
- Federica Mangione – Quality & Governance Medical Devices Training Lead, University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
- Sheryle Miller – Medical Devices Safety Officer, Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
- Jordan Lee – Editor MDET Journal. Medical Gas Safety Workbook designer and developer
- Paul Lee – Consultant Scientist Head of MEMS, Swansea Bay University Health Board, elearning developer and writer
- Rebekka Campbell – Programme Manager – Technology Enhanced Learning, NHS England
- Jen Plested – External Project Manager – Technology Enhanced Learning, NHS England
- Vanessa Bassnett – Service Management Lead
How to access
In order to access the Medical Equipment programme, you will need an elfh account. If you do not have one, then you can register by selecting the Register button below.
To view the Medical Equipment programme, select the View button below. If you already have an account with elfh, you will also be able to login and enrol on the programme from the View button.
NHS healthcare staff in England
The Medical Equipment programme is also available to NHS healthcare staff via the Electronic Staff Record (ESR). Accessing this elearning via ESR means that your completions will transfer with you throughout your NHS career.
Further details are available here.
Not an NHS organisation?
If you are not an NHS health or care organisation and therefore do not qualify for free access elfh Hub, you may be able to access the service by creating an OpenAthens account.
To check whether or not you qualify for free access via OpenAthens, you can view the eligibility criteria and register on the ‘OpenAthens’ portal.
Registering large numbers of users
If you are a HR, IT or Practice Manager and would like to register and enrol large numbers of staff within your organisation for access onto the Medical Equipment programme, please contact elfh directly.
Organisations wishing to use their own LMS
For HR departments wanting to know more about gaining access to courses using an existing Learning Management System please contact elfh directly to express interest.
More information
Please select the following link for more information on how to use the elfh Hub.