Safety Issue in Engineering Work Place
Oxygen Saturation is a key parameter that is measured by Intensivists and doctors all over the world, and specifically in the critical care environments, since brain cannot survive beyond a couple of minutes without oxygen. This parameter needs constant monitoring of all critically ill patients. Oxygen saturation is usually measured today by inserting a thimble-like cap on one of the patient’s fingers, which is in turn attached to a monitor. There are a number of resulting leads that get attached to the patient’s body like the BP monitor and other cardiac leads. This is usually in addition to other intubations a patient might have.
OxSat is a revolutionary approach to measuring oxygen saturation that definitely eliminates at least one lead from the patient’s body. The objective of OxSat is to permit remote monitoring of oxygen saturation at all times. Remote can be as slightly remote as from a patient’s bed to the nursing station that is either close by or even half way across the globe. The primary connectivity between the thimble fingertip and the receiver next to the patient’s body is by means of Bluetooth connectivity. From this receiver onwards, the means of communication can be over a LAN or any other wired or wireless connectivity, including Wi-Fi LAN.
Some of the safety standards that OxSat will definitely need to adhere are all of medical equipment safety norms, fool-proof Bluetooth connectivity between thimble fingertip and primary Bluetooth receiver, and finally the electromagnetic emission and safety of the Bluetooth receiver. Other than these electronic safety standards, the thimble finger cover, which is the primary interface with the patient’s body must be made of virgin rubber based material that will not trigger any allergic reactions in the patients.
This rubber covering will be made with a seamless mould to ensure it does not cut or unintentionally injure the finger on which it is placed on. The Bluetooth receiver will be properly earthed to ensure there are no accidental electric shocks. The receiver will comply with microwave emission safety standards as appropriately set out under the regulations of the United States, Europe, Japan, and Singapore, since these countries follow the highest standards of patient safety at all times.
OxSat aims to replace oxygen saturation monitoring devices conventionally that have been in use for over a decade or even more now. A slightest accident or a mishap, however inadvertent or indirect, would set OxSat back by several years. Hence, the designers are endeavouring to make sure the highest compliance with all safety standards that are essential to put OxSat in global arena and ensure oxygen saturation monitoring remotely becomes a reality and facilitates free movement for the patients, while allowing for remote monitoring for the care providers.
Some of the European Medical Equipment Safety norms are severely stringent and need to be tested and verified within Europe itself. It is endeavoured to send few of the prototypes of OxSat after approval by FDA to these testing labs and get their approval as an indication of highest standard of safety in this equipment. OxSat is set to replace wired oxygen saturation monitoring and set to be quite a revolution in the field of biomedical engineering that complies to the highest standards of medical equipment safety, while being fully committed to operational and patient safety.
Works Cited
Begler, Ch. OxSat - Oxygen Saturation. 2008. http://mooring.ucsd.edu/software/matlab/doc/ocean/oxsat.html. 09 December 2014.
World Health Organization. Medical Device Regulations - Global Overview and Guiding Principles. Guide. Geneva: World Health Organization, 1999.
