Medical device failure often means that patients being treated using the device are either injured or face the possibility of injury. When this occurs, the immediate actions to be taken are:
- Removing the device from service immediately
- Gathering all disposables/accessories and placing them in a plastic bag with the device
- Locking up device; allowing only Clinical Engineering and Risk Management access to the equipment
Effective risk communication of medical device failures facilitates appropriate decision-making – important, as these decisions directly impact patient health and safety.
