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What This Guide Helps With
Use this guide when a displayed measurement appears incorrect, unstable, implausible, or an approved calibration or verification process will not complete.
Step-by-Step Troubleshooting
1. Protect the Patient From Unreliable Measurements
Do not use questionable measurements to guide therapy. Pause the affected function and provide another verified method of assessment when clinically required.
Expected outcome: Patient care does not depend on an unverified measurement.
2. Confirm the Reported Measurement Problem
Identify the exact measurement involved, how staff determined it was inaccurate, and whether the issue is constant, intermittent, or occurs only with a particular accessory or setup.
Expected outcome: The suspected measurement error is clearly defined before adjustments are attempted.
3. Inspect Related Accessories and Connections
Check applicable cables, sensors, catheter connections, adapters, and external interfaces for damage, contamination, poor seating, or incorrect connection.
Expected outcome: The measurement path has intact, correctly connected external components. If correcting a connection restores credible readings, continue to final verification.
4. Confirm Compatible Components Are Being Used
Verify all components involved in the measurement are approved and appropriate for the DiamondTemp system and current clinical configuration.
Expected outcome: Incompatible or incorrect accessories are eliminated as the cause.
5. Check Positioning and Setup
Confirm components that affect the measurement are positioned and connected as intended for the procedure. Verify relevant accessible settings correspond with the actual setup.
Expected outcome: No setup or positioning condition explains the inaccurate measurement.
6. Use Known-Good Approved Components
Substitute suspect external sensors, cables, or accessories with approved known-good components where practical.
Expected outcome: If measurement accuracy returns, the replaced external component is isolated as the likely cause.
7. Compare Against Approved Test Equipment
When a manufacturer-supported verification method is available, compare the system against calibrated test equipment appropriate to the function. Do not invent acceptance limits; use current approved documentation.
Expected outcome: The measurement agrees with the approved reference within the manufacturer-defined criteria, or a reproducible discrepancy is confirmed.
8. Attempt Only Approved Calibration Procedures
If calibration is authorized for Clinical Engineering, perform it using the required manufacturer procedure, accessories, environmental conditions, and calibrated test equipment. Do not alter hidden calibration values manually.
Expected outcome: Calibration completes successfully and subsequent verification passes. If so, troubleshooting can stop after final testing.
9. Check for Environmental Causes
Confirm temperature, moisture, contamination, electromagnetic interference, and accessory condition are not preventing reliable measurement or calibration.
Expected outcome: The required environment is suitable and does not explain the failure.
10. Perform Final Functional Verification
Repeat the approved measurement verification and confirm the system operates normally through the affected signal path.
Expected outcome: Measurements are repeatable and meet approved verification criteria. The issue is resolved and troubleshooting can stop.
11. Escalate Failed Verification or Calibration
If the unit remains inaccurate or will not complete an approved calibration with known-good accessories and calibrated test equipment, do not compensate by changing undocumented settings.
Expected outcome: The generator is removed from service for qualified service-level evaluation.
If the Problem Persists
External accessories, connections, setup, environment, and approved verification methods have been ruled out. Remaining causes may involve sensing circuitry, internal reference functions, signal processing, calibration data, software, or another service-level condition.
Remove the device from service, label it Out of Service, and send it for bench evaluation or manufacturer-supported repair. Use current service documentation and properly calibrated test equipment. Only qualified personnel should perform internal adjustment or protected calibration.
After service, complete required calibration verification, operational testing, and return-to-service checks. Knowing when an inaccurate measurement cannot be corrected externally is proper troubleshooting.
Clinical Use Tip
Do not accept a plausible-looking measurement as correct when independent verification indicates it may be inaccurate.
Work Order Documentation (CCR Method)
CCR = Complaint, Cause, Resolution
Complaint
What was reported by the clinical staff.
Example:
"Clinical staff reported that a DiamondTemp measurement appeared unstable and inconsistent during procedural setup."
Cause
What was observed during troubleshooting.
Example:
"Clinical Engineering found a damaged external sensor connection that produced inconsistent values during verification."
Resolution
What action was taken.
Example:
"Clinical Engineering replaced the affected approved accessory and verified stable measurements using the appropriate test method before return to service."
Helpful Details to Include (If Known)
- Measurement affected
- Reported discrepancy
- Accessory and cable condition
- Relevant setup or positioning
- Known-good substitution result
- Test equipment used
- Calibration or verification result
- Environmental conditions
- Results before and after correction
- Final device status
Final Thought
Protect the patient from unreliable measurements, verify external components and setup before assuming internal calibration failure, use approved test equipment and procedures, escalate failed verification, and document objective results.
That is successful troubleshooting.