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What This Guide Helps With
Troubleshoots printer failures, poor strip quality, paper-feed problems, incorrect loading, contamination, or external printer-control issues.
Step-by-Step Troubleshooting
1. Protect Patient Support Before Addressing the Printer
A printer problem should not distract from the primary therapeutic function of the IABP. Confirm that pumping, alarms, triggering, and patient monitoring remain reliable before troubleshooting the recording function.
Expected outcome: The Cardiosave continues to provide safe therapeutic support independent of the printer issue.
2. Confirm the Printing Complaint
Determine whether the printer does not respond, paper does not advance, output is blank, printing is faint or incomplete, or the strip jams.
Attempt printing only when doing so will not interfere with clinical operation.
Expected outcome: The printer failure mode is clearly identified.
3. Verify Paper Supply
Inspect the installed paper supply and confirm that appropriate recording paper is present and loaded in the intended orientation.
Do not substitute unapproved paper products.
Expected outcome: Correct paper is available and properly installed. If correcting paper loading restores normal printing, verify several strips and stop troubleshooting.
4. Inspect the Paper Path
Open only user-accessible printer areas and inspect for folded paper, torn fragments, debris, misalignment, or an improperly seated roll.
Do not disassemble the printer mechanism.
Expected outcome: The accessible paper path is clear. If removing an obstruction restores consistent feeding, verify print quality and stop troubleshooting.
5. Inspect Printer Door or Cover Closure
Confirm that the printer cover closes completely and any accessible latch engages normally.
Expected outcome: The cover is fully secured. If proper closure restores printing, verify operation and stop troubleshooting.
6. Check Printer Controls and Requested Output
Verify that the expected print command is being issued and that the main Cardiosave controls are otherwise responsive.
Expected outcome: The system recognizes the print request. If the problem was an incorrect control selection, verify successful output and stop troubleshooting.
7. Assess Print Quality
If paper feeds but output is poor, inspect for uniformity, legibility, missing areas, contamination accessible without disassembly, or inappropriate paper.
Do not attempt internal print-head adjustment without approved service procedures.
Expected outcome: Print output is clear enough for the intended clinical record. Persistent missing or unreadable areas require further service.
8. Compare With Known-Good Approved Paper
If paper quality or compatibility is uncertain, install approved known-good recording paper and repeat the test.
Expected outcome: Normal output with known-good paper isolates the issue to the original consumable. Troubleshooting can stop after verification.
9. Perform Final Functional Verification
Generate multiple test strips as appropriate and verify consistent paper feeding, print initiation, legibility, cutting or tear-off function as applicable, and normal operation of the rest of the Cardiosave.
Expected outcome: Printing is repeatable and readable. Troubleshooting can stop.
10. Escalate Persistent Printer Failure
If the printer does not feed or produce acceptable output after accessible paper, loading, path, cover, and controls are verified, stop troubleshooting.
Expected outcome: The device is referred for service if the printer function is required for intended clinical use.
If the Problem Persists
Common external paper, loading, obstruction, cover, and control causes have been ruled out. Remaining possibilities include the internal printer mechanism, print head, drive components, printer electronics, or software control.
The device should be:
- Removed from service when the printer is required for intended use or local policy
- Labeled Out of Service when appropriate
- Sent for repair or bench evaluation
- Evaluated using appropriate Getinge documentation and approved test equipment
- Repaired only by qualified personnel
After repair, verify printer operation along with all affected Cardiosave functions before return to service.
Knowing when to stop external troubleshooting is proper troubleshooting.
Clinical Use Tip
Confirm whether the clinical team has an approved alternative for documenting waveforms before allowing use of an IABP with an unresolved printer problem.
Work Order Documentation (CCR Method)
CCR = Complaint, Cause, Resolution
Complaint
What was reported by the clinical staff.
Example:
"Clinical staff reported that the Cardiosave printer fed paper but produced an unreadable strip."
Cause
What was observed during troubleshooting.
Example:
"Clinical Engineering found that the recording paper had been loaded incorrectly."
Resolution
What action was taken.
Example:
"Clinical Engineering reloaded approved recording paper correctly, verified multiple clear strip recordings and normal printer operation, and returned the unit to service."
Helpful Details to Include (If Known)
- Whether printer responded to commands
- Paper type and condition
- Paper orientation
- Paper-feed behavior
- Printer cover condition
- Presence of debris or torn paper
- Print quality observed
- Results with known-good paper
- Multiple-strip verification
- Final device status
- Whether printer responded to commands
- Paper type and condition
- Paper orientation
- Paper-feed behavior
- Printer cover condition
- Presence of debris or torn paper
- Print quality observed
- Results with known-good paper
- Multiple-strip verification
- Final device status
Final Thought
Printer problems should be separated from the Cardiosave's primary therapeutic function while still being corrected when documentation depends on them. Check consumables, loading, accessible paper path, and controls first, then escalate persistent mechanical or electronic printer failures appropriately.
That is successful troubleshooting.