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13. User training
13.1 General
Anaesthetists must be trained in the use of all the equipment
that they may use. Training requirements clearly vary widely
between different devices, some requiring little or no additional
training apart from common sense, others being unusable
without complex and specific training. There is little or no
national framework for the standardisation of training in use of
devices in anaesthesia or indeed in any other clinical field, with
the result that currently it is the responsibility of the individual
clinician to ensure that he or she has received the appropriate
training and that it is kept up-to-date. A record of training
received by department members should be kept, and it should
form part of the annual appraisal process.
In more than half of the adverse incidents reported to the
Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA)
there is no readily identifiable equipment fault. Although often
difficult to define precisely, it seems more than reasonable
to assume that many of these have resulted from user related
issues. In some cases it is clear that the user has been the sole
cause of the adverse incident which would not have occurred if
the device had been correctly used.
13.2 Manufacturers’ obligations
Manufacturers of medical devices have a legal obligation to
supply Instructions For Use (IFU) which cover not only how
to use the device but also a description of the intended use of
the device. Using the device outside of the IFU removes much
of the manufacturer’s responsibility and transfers it to the user.
Manufacturers should be encouraged to produce IFUs which
are easy to read and understand; there may be a significant
advantage in producing a summary of the important points or
key instructions. Where practical, these should be available on
the equipment, or held in close proximity.
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