BMT 405 – CLINICAL ENGINEERING
COURSE PARTICULARS
Course Code: BMT 405
Course Title: Clinical Engineering
No. of Units: 2
Course Duration: Two hours of lecture for 15 weeks.
Status: Compulsory
COURSE INSTRUCTORS
Mr. FIDELIS Obinna
Department of Biomedical Technology,
Room 04,
School of Health and Health Technology,
The Federal University of Technology, Akure, Ondo State – Nigeria.
Email:
[email protected]COURSE DESCRIPTION
Clinical Engineering is designed to introduce the Biomedical Technology students to the application of
Biomedical Engineering and Technology to the hospital/clinical environment. Students will learn the
basics of technical support to clinicians and health workers as well as the application of technology to
improve patient outcome. The course covers the roles of Clinical Engineers/Engineering departments, the
different wards/units within a hospital and the nature of technical support required in each, a survey of
different equipment used in hospitals as well as the basics of troubleshooting hospital equipment/
equipment reliability.
COURSE OBJECTIVES
It is expected that at the end of the course, students will:
• Understand the need and significance of technical support in hospital environments.
• Learn the basic skills for troubleshooting hospital equipment
• Appreciate the challenges of technology management and its importance to good healthcare
delivery.
COURSE LEARNING OUTCOMES / COMPETENCIES
Students in this course will:
(Knowledge based)
Gain an understanding of the importance of the Engineer (Clinical) in the healthcare team.
(Skills)
Learn basic techniques for troubleshooting medical devices.
This course will be graded as follows:
Practical session 10%
1
Term paper 10%
Test(s) 20%
Final Examination 60%
TOTAL 100%
1
Term paper on current topics will be randomly assigned during the lectures (No makeup or extension). This will be strictly enforced.
1
GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS
Attendance: It is expected that every student come to class ON time. Attendance records will be kept and
used to determine each person’s qualification to sit for the final examination. The university recognises
that a student may miss a class for legitimate reasons. In such cases, the absences are excusable; however,
student must communicate as soon as possible with the course lecturer, indicating the reason(s) for the
absence.
Academic Integrity: Violations of academic integrity, including dishonesty in assignments, examinations,
or other academic performances are prohibited. No student is allowed to make copies of another person’s
work and submit it as his/her own; that is plagiarism. All cases of academic dishonesty will be reported to
the University Management for appropriate sanctions in accordance with the guidelines for handling
students’ misconduct as spelt out in the Students’ Handbook.
Assignments and Group Work: Students are expected to submit assignments on/before deadlines. Failure
to submit an assignment, as at when due, will earn such student zero for that assignment. All assignments
should be done on A4, plain or rule papers of the same size. If any student should need help with the
assignment, he/she can visit me with proof that the problems have been attempted severally. Only under
extenuating circumstances, for which a student has notified the lecturer-in-charge in advance, will late
submission of assignments be accepted. THERE ARE NO MAKEUPS FOR exams, quizzes, or
assignments.
Code of Conduct in Lecture Rooms and Laboratories: All electronic devices are banned during lectures.
This includes all cell phones, pagers, radios and other disruptive devices. Students are prohibited from
engaging in other activities (such as texting, watching videos, etc.) during lectures. Food and drinks are
not permitted in class.
READING LIST*
Text: The Clinical Engineering Handbook
Author: Joseph Dyro Publisher: Elsevier Academic Press
References:
Introduction to Biomedical Engineering Technology
Author: Laurence Street Publisher: CRC Press, Taylor & Francis group.
*Books are available in local bookshops and on the internet
COURSE OUTLINE
Week Topic Remarks
Introduction. Definition of terms. Roles of Clinical Meaning and evolution of Clinical Engineering
Engineering and the Clinical Engineer in healthcare as a discipline. The roles of a clinical
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delivery. engineering department and the duties of an
engineer in a hospital environment.
The Clinical Environment – units and departments. The different categories of hospitals,
Primary, Secondary and Tertiary hospitals. Hospital specializations and operations. The various
2
structures and designs. units and departments in a model hospital.
Safety in Hospitals. Electrical safety. Mechanical The importance of safety culture in a hospital
issues. Infection control. Patients’ and personnel’s environment. Pathogens and infectious germs.
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safety within a hospital environment. Safety of equipment, patients and personnel.
Tools and Devices – tools used in clinical engineering Practical illustration of the use of different tools
4 tasks. Analysers – safety analysers, oxygen analysers and analysers.
etc.
Maintenance and Repair of medical devices – basic Practical sessions to learn basic troubleshooting
5 skills for troubleshooting hospital equipment. skills for maintenance and repair of hospital
equipment
6 Clinical Engineering in Neonatal clinic – hypothermia
2
(radiant warmer, infant incubator, phototherapy unit,
oxygen supply.
Mid-semester assessment The students make submissions of TERM
7
PAPER as well as write the mid-semester test.
Clinical Engineering in Surgical theatres. (surgical The roles of an engineer in the management of
tables, anaesthesia, various medical devices used for surgical
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operation – before and during surgery
Clinical Engineering in Intensive Care
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Clinical Engineering in developing nations – The technological challenges of healthcare
challenges and opportunities delivery in developing nations. Possible
10 alternatives to some of the challenges will also
be discussed.
Healthcare technology evaluation and procurement The key evaluation considerations for
technology acquisition will be discussed.
11 Diagnostic equipment, surgical and therapeutic
technologies.
Hospital equipment reliability – the equipment Reliability as a probability. Equipment
12 reliability curve. downtime. Bathtub failure rate curve. Basic
reliability mathematics.
Revision/Make-up test. Makeup test for students who missed the first
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assessment in week 7.
Examination
14-15
