Clinical Engineering Technician, Staff Grade

St. Luke’s General Hospital, Kilkenny is the Acute General Hospital that services the counties of Carlow and Kilkenny providing health care for approximately 149,900 (2011 Census). Due to its location in the heart of the South East, St Luke’s also provides services to its bordering counties of Tipperary, Waterford, Wexford, Laois.

The Biomedical Engineering Department currently provide technical and clinical support for the diverse and complex medical devices equipment in the different clinical areas of the hospital, such as theatres, maternity services, intensive care units, Critical Care, ED, cardiology, endoscopy, MRI, CT, CSSD and laboratories, to list just some of the specialist areas. Some of the medical device equipment is maintained in-house by the engineers, some is on service contracts with the medical devices equipment suppliers

Biomedical Engineering Department form part of the multi-disciplinary Product Evaluation Group (PEG) as part of a tendering process. In these instances, they provide engineering expertise, formulating the necessary technical specifications that meets the clinical requirements. They perform the product evaluations with the other members of the PEG. Following purchase of the medical devices assist in overseeing the installation, commissioning and recording of the medical devices.

Engineers provide clinical support and consultancy services to the business managers, services managers, and medical staff and other H&SCP. Engineers provide training to various Clinical Staff within the hospital on particular medical devices in St Luke’s General Hospital and also support Kilcreene Orthopaedic Hospital and other outreach Hospitals in the Carlow / Kilkenny area.

Purpose of the Post
The Clinical Engineering Technician, Staff Grade will  work as part of the team providing Clinical Engineering and Technical support to all hospital medical devices including diagnostic, analytical, therapeutic, surgical, and life support systems in St Luke's General Hospital  as directed by the reporting relationship.

Having due regard to service needs s/he will also liaise with other staff and grades within and outside the service/line manager as necessitated in the identification, acquisition, and support of safe, effective, and economical technology as part of a healthcare professional team, in the provision, delivery, and advancement of patient care.

Principal Duties and Responsibilities

Operational/Professional

• Provide routine service, calibration, performance testing and electrical safety testing of biomedical assets/equipment in both workshops and at the point of equipment use.
• Provide the department’s administration with such records of his/her work are deemed necessary by line management.
• Contribute as required to the development of the hospital’s policies and services, where required, through participation in the work of, and contributing to the management of, the appropriate operational teams and groups.
• Provide a comprehensive maintenance and repair service for electro-medical, endoscopic, and/or other equipment in respect of its functional, electronic, optical, electrical and mechanical aspects to a standard of safety, accuracy and reliability consistent with its function, with professional standards and manufacturers’ recommendations.
• Provide front line support for hardware and software issues on biomedical assets.
• Be available for consultation with medical, paramedical, technical and administrative staff on appropriate matters.
• Contribute to the management of the department’s range of test equipment.
• Liaise and work, as required, with other staff grades, both within and outside the biomedical engineering department.
• Assist with the co-ordination and implementation of the preventative schedule maintenance and safety programmes.
• Advise, when requested on the selection, specification, acceptance testing, commissioning and safety of new equipment and services.
• Advise, when required, on new technical installations.
• Support the clinical and technical staff in the implementation of patient care involving technology.
• Develop, as required, specialist fields of interest within the fields of biomedical engineering.
• Participate, as required, in education, training and research programmes.
• Participate in implementation and operation of the departments asset management ECRI-Aims system, ensuring all equipment is maintained to relevant standards and appropriate records are properly and accurately maintained at all times.
• Be professionally responsible for all aspects of the post.
• Participate in the maintenance of proper stock levels of spare parts and consumables required for the performance of the work of the department.
• Co-operate fully with ensuring compliance with health and safety requirements and regulations.
• Carry mobile communications device for normal duties.
• Assist in the management of contractor performance as it relates to biomedical engineering services.

See more details in the job specification below.