ICU archivos - ETKHO Hospital Engineering

Medical gas alarm systems

For more than a century, medical gases have been used in the healthcare sector for many forms of modern diagnosis and treatment, becoming crucial elements in the well-being of the patient and the operation of any hospital facility. Their uses are very diverse: from respiratory support to anaesthetic agents, to diagnose and treat various pathologies, to calibrate medical equipment, etc. These gases, being classified as medicines, must meet the highest standards of safety, quality and efficiency.

In this respect, one of the most important points is their management and control. For this, we have alarm systems for medical gases, capable of alerting of possible failures, indicating what it is and solving problems that could be very serious. Let’s get to know what they are, starting with a little more about medical gases.

Electrical safety in the ICU and resuscitation areas

Hospital units, especially ICUs, are contexts with high risks of electrical failures if they do not have an adequate electrical safety system.

Today, most medical devices are electronic, so they are powered by power supplies and the electrical grid. If an electrical safety failure occurs, the risk of patient injury is high. Especially, in areas such as the ICU or other critical areas in health centers.

The ICU is the intensive care unit of a hospital, that is, the area of a hospital center where the most seriously ill patients who require continuous and specific surveillance and attention are admitted.

By critical areas we understand those areas of the hospitals where health care is produced in which the risk is high. In addition to the ICU, for example, we find operating rooms, emergencies, clean rooms, isolation rooms, ICU…

To maintain hospital electrical safety in these areas, there are various elements that protect and guarantee the electrical supply. We are talking about, for example, IT power systems, uninterruptible power supplies or ground connections, among others.

Design and organization of critical hospital areas

Patients, services, specialties, types of units, medical equipment … In the design and organization of critical hospital areas, a whole series of aspects must be assessed to guarantee the safety and proper functioning of the health center.

There are infinite options to define the different types of health centers: depending on their size, the services they provide,… However, in a generic way, we can define a hospital as a building where functions related to people’s health are carried out , in addition to the diagnosis and treatment of diseases. Each hospital has its peculiarities. However, there are some basic aspects about the design and organization of critical hospital areas that are important to assess.

Hospital ground panels and electrical outlets: what they are, what they are for and benefits

In hospitals and health centers, each machine has its mission or objective. In the case of hospital ground panels and electrical outlets, they help prevent and avoid contact voltages within critical medical areas. The possibility of electrical shocks caused by poor equipment grounding is one of the great risks faced by patients and healthcare personnel.

For this reason, it is essential to have adequate health technology, especially with the devices that guarantee the perfect functioning of electromedicine.

Hospital earth panels and electrical outlets are essential to help prevent contact voltages within hospitals and, especially, in operating rooms, ICUs or, in general, critical hospital areas.

ETKHO Hospital Engineering: your best allies in hospital electrical safety

September is, par excellence, the month of new beginnings, challenges, changes … For this reason, we have launched a new brochure with information about our electrical safety equipment and services for critical and hospital areas. At ETKHO we are aware that this September hospitals are beginning to prepare for a possible second wave of coronavirus, in addition to colds, flu, etc.

In this sense, it is time for health centers and hospitals to work so that their electrical safety is fully prepared for the avalanche of new patients expected in emergency rooms and, in general, in health centers during the fall.

The coronavirus in ICUs in Latin America

Since the coronavirus was discovered in Wuhan in late December 2019, more than 20 million people have been infected worldwide, according to data from Johns Hopkins University. The countries of Latin America and the Caribbean are the most affected both in number of cases and deaths.

Among the main difficulties in containing the virus is the fact that the health system in Latin American countries is much more complex and has more deficiencies than in Europe or Asia, especially in Intensive Care Units (ICU). In many cases, these critical areas of hospitals are unprepared to deal with a health crisis that has hit the entire world.

Uninterruptible Power Systems: utility and benefits in the area of health

There are a number of high-risk areas in hospitals, also known as critical hospital areas. In these areas (operating rooms, emergencies, etc.) there is a significant bacterial burden and there are patients who need, more than anyone else, a safe environment free of any type of risk to their health and their own lives. In this article we want to talk to you about Uninterruptible Power Systems (UPS), their functionalities and benefits.

The demand for electricity is present in all areas of our lives, especially since technology is part of our daily lives. And this energy dependence can also be extrapolated to the health or hospital sector.

Ground connections in critical hospital areas

To understand what ground connections or earthing isolated power systems, it is important to know that all electrical power searches for any ground in order to close the circuit.

In this way, energy generally takes the shortest path and the one that represents the least resistance. Sometimes that short path can be through the human being.

Therefore, imagine that a patient is anesthetized and becomes the path to earth, the consequences can be lethal, because he will be unable to perform self-preservation actions or make decisions.

Equipment and installation of IT systems in hospitals

Hospital electrical safety is a topic that can’t be taken for granted. It is important to know what IT systems are and how they can be used in hospitals.

IT systems are distinguished by the fact that all active components are grounded through a high impedance.

The reason why a high impedance is applied is due to metrological aspects, in order not to jeopardize the electrical safety, in this case hospitals.

Therefore, the grounding of the electrical installation masses can be done either together or individually.

Insulation monitors: what they are and their benefits

It is important to keep in mind that electrical insulation is essential in electrical facilities. Today we are going to talk about insulation monitors as an important element in electrical safety, especially in the hospital sector.

First of all it must be understood that insulation monitors are devices which supervise the insulation resistance in IT systems.

They also monitor the leakage or differential current, both in grounded systems such as TB and TT. Therefore, it is the two alarms of the insulation monitors that allow to know the condition of the equipment before a ground failure takes place.

It is therefore an essential element to prevent shortages in the electrical system of a hospital.