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Follow the links below to find material targeted to the unit's elements, performance criteria, required skills and knowledge

Elements and Performance Criteria

1. Elements define the essential outcomes
2. Check functioning and conduct routine maintenance
   • Check availability of minimum equipment requirements as per Australia New Zealand College of Anaesthetists (ANZCA) policy guidelines
   • Perform safety checks
   • Ensure anaesthetic equipment is functioning correctly and rectify any routine problems
   • Clean and safely store equipment
   • Report hazardous, damaged or faulty equipment and arrange repairs
   • Disassemble and clean anaesthetic equipment
   • Dispose of disposable/single use items
3. Maintain adequate stock levels of anaesthetic consumable items
   • Access and interpret stock documentation, store and rotate stock, check stock levels and take action to maintain supply
   • Communicate unavailability of stock to relevant personnel
   • Identify when to withdraw and dispose of stock in compliance with health hazard notices and environmental protection authority
   • Dispose of expired stock safely in accordance with legislative requirements
   • Ensure product disclosure information, technical data sheets and material safety data sheets are available and referenced as required
4. Implement planned maintenance
   • Identify maintenance procedures and appropriate documentation
   • Maintain anaesthetic and monitoring equipment
   • Complete regular servicing in accordance with scope of own role
   • Complete accurate maintenance documentation and escalate to relevant personnel any issue
   • Review maintenance records and update
5. Arrange repairs of anaesthetic equipment
   • Identify anaesthetic equipment faults and place safety hazard label on anaesthetic equipment
   • Complete repair request documentation and give to relevant personnel for actioning
   • Complete routine and minor anaesthetic equipment repairs
6. Orientate staff to anaesthetic and monitoring equipment
   • Provide instruction on anaesthetic equipment to other members of the multidisciplinary team
   • Provide in-service training on anaesthetic equipment to other members of the multidisciplinary team
7. Evaluate anaesthetic and monitoring equipment for purchase
   • Develop evaluation criteria and documentation for equipment being considered for trialling or purchase in consultation with the anaesthetist
   • Apply agreed criteria to evaluation and provide recommendations for purchase
   • Provide feedback to companies on products under development, as requested

Performance Evidence

The candidate must show evidence of the ability to complete tasks outlined in elements and performance criteria of this unit, manage tasks and manage contingencies in the context of the job role. There must be evidence that the candidate has:

followed legislation, industry standards & code of practice, manufacturer’s guidelines and organisation procedures to maintain the standard and supply of anaesthetic equipment and supplies for at least one facility, including:

routine cleaning and care

planned maintenance and servicing

arranging repairs

testing for functionality and safety, including ANZCA level 2 and level 3 check of the anaesthetic machine

provided in service training on at least one piece of equipment

evaluated one piece of equipment

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Knowledge Evidence

The candidate must be able to demonstrate essential knowledge required to effectively complete tasks outlined in elements and performance criteria of this unit, manage tasks and manage contingencies in the context of the work role. This includes knowledge of:

types of anaesthetic equipment and consumables required:

medications, forms and other consumables

anaesthetic airway, breathing, infusion monitoring devices

emergency equipment

non-disposable equipment

areas that require anaesthesia related equipment and consumables:

anaesthetic and emergency trolleys

induction room and/or store rooms

anaesthetic machines

set-up & safety checks, principles & limitation of operation, features/functions and safe use of anaesthetic and monitoring equipment, including their service schedule, storage, disassembly and cleaning requirements, including:

anaesthetic machine and components, including:

alarms and measurement devices

suction and scavenger

ventilator

bulk and local gas supply equipment

vaporisers

breathing systems/circuits and attachments

airway and breathing equipment including:

fibreoptic, video and other intubation aids

consumables

breathing circuits and portable ventilators

invasive and no-invasive monitoring equipment

emergency equipment

thermoregulation equipment

infusion and rapid infusion equipment

tourniquets and exsanguinators

antithromboembolitic

diathermy

routine problems that occur with different types of equipment and how to rectify within own scope

principles of physics and measurement as it relates to anaesthetic practice, including:

thermodynamics

gas laws

fluid dynamics

potentiometry

optics

transducers

vaporisation

ultrasound

basic electronic components and their function

legal and ethical considerations (national, state/territory) for management of equipment and consumables, and how these are applied in organisations:

codes of practice

duty of care

infection prevention and control

records management

rights and responsibilities of workers and employers

work role boundaries – responsibilities and limitations

work health and safety (WHS):

electrical safety requirements for equipment

gas safety

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