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What This Guide Helps With
Troubleshooting poor bladder detection, low-confidence scans, or bladder volume readings that appear inconsistent with patient condition.
Step-by-Step Troubleshooting
Ensure Patient Safety First
Do not troubleshoot scan accuracy on an active clinical concern without involving the care team.
Action:
- Confirm the patient is clinically stable and that staff are not relying on a questionable bladder volume reading for an urgent decision.
- If the reported volume does not match the patient’s condition, instruct staff to verify using another approved method or another bladder scanner.
- Do not keep repeating scans on the same patient if results are clearly unreliable.
Expected outcome: Patient care decisions are not based on a suspected inaccurate scan.
Why it matters: A poor bladder scan can lead to delayed catheterization, unnecessary catheterization, or incorrect assessment of urinary retention.
Verify the Reported Problem
Confirm whether the issue is poor bladder detection, inconsistent readings, or clearly inaccurate volume values.
Action:
Ask staff what they observed:
- No bladder detected
- Low-confidence scan
- Very different readings on repeated scans
- Volume does not match clinical signs
- Scanner displays positioning or aiming guidance repeatedly
- Issue occurs with one patient or multiple patients
Expected outcome: The failure pattern is identified before assuming a device problem.
If the problem only occurred once or on a difficult patient scan, the issue may be technique, anatomy, positioning, or patient condition rather than device failure.
Remove the Device From Active Use for Testing
Take the BladderScan i10 out of patient care workflow before evaluating it.
Action:
- Clean the device per facility procedure.
- Move it to a safe area for inspection and functional checks.
- Use another bladder scanner for patient care while the issue is being evaluated.
Expected outcome: The device can be checked without delaying care or contaminating equipment.
Inspect the Probe and Scanner Exterior
Check for obvious external damage.
Action:
Inspect the probe face for:
- Cracks
- Scratches
- Cloudiness
- Dried gel
- Residue
- Impact damage
- Loose housing
- Liquid intrusion
Inspect the scanner body, touchscreen, charging contacts, and any connected accessories.
Expected outcome: The scanner and probe should be clean, intact, and free of visible damage.
If the probe face is cracked, damaged, contaminated, or physically compromised, remove the device from service and send it for repair evaluation.
Confirm Proper Cleaning of the Probe Face
A dirty or damaged probe surface can interfere with ultrasound transmission.
Action:
- Clean the probe face using approved cleaning methods for the facility and manufacturer.
- Remove dried gel, disinfectant residue, tape residue, or debris.
- Allow the probe to dry if cleaning solution is present.
Expected outcome: The probe surface is clean and smooth before retesting.
If cleaning resolves the poor detection or inconsistent readings, return the device to service and document the cause.
Check Ultrasound Gel Use
Poor gel contact is one of the most common external causes of poor bladder detection.
Action:
- Confirm staff are using enough approved ultrasound gel.
- Check whether the gel is dried out, expired, contaminated, or being applied too thinly.
- Verify gel is placed between the probe and patient skin with no air gaps.
Expected outcome: The probe should have full acoustic contact with the patient during scanning.
If proper gel use restores consistent readings, educate staff and stop troubleshooting.
Verify Scan Technique and Probe Placement
Incorrect probe angle or placement can produce poor detection or inaccurate volume readings.
Action:
- Confirm staff are scanning in the correct lower abdominal location.
- Verify the probe is aimed toward the bladder and not too high, too low, or off-center.
- Review whether the scanner’s on-screen aiming guidance is being followed.
- Repeat a scan using proper positioning if Clinical Engineering is trained and authorized to perform a non-patient functional check.
Expected outcome: The scanner should guide the user toward an acceptable bladder image and produce repeatable results when used correctly.
If readings improve with corrected technique, the issue is likely user technique, not device failure.
Consider Patient-Related Factors
Some patients are harder to scan accurately.
Action:
Ask whether the issue occurred on a patient with:
- Obesity
- Abdominal dressings
- Surgical wounds
- Ascites
- Pregnancy
- Abdominal fluid collections
- Recent surgery
- Patient movement
- Inability to lie still
- Very low bladder volume
Expected outcome: Patient-specific factors are identified as possible causes of poor detection.
If the device works normally on other patients or test conditions, document that no device fault was confirmed.
Compare Repeatability
Check whether the reported readings are repeatable.
Action:
- Have staff perform multiple scans using proper technique, if clinically appropriate.
- Compare whether values are reasonably consistent or widely different.
- Check whether the scanner repeatedly asks for repositioning or shows poor confidence.
Expected outcome: A properly functioning scanner should provide reasonably consistent results under similar scan conditions.
If readings vary wildly despite good technique, clean probe surface, proper gel, and appropriate patient conditions, continue troubleshooting.
Check Battery Level and Power Stability
Low battery or unstable power may contribute to poor device behavior, freezing, or incomplete scans.
Action:
- Check the battery charge level.
- Place the unit on the approved charger or cart dock if battery is low.
- Confirm the scanner charges normally.
- Allow adequate charge time before retesting.
Expected outcome: The scanner should operate normally with sufficient battery power.
If poor scanning only occurs at low battery levels, document the battery behavior and evaluate battery/runtime separately.
Restart the Scanner
Software or temporary scan processing issues may clear after a restart.
Action:
- Power the BladderScan i10 off.
- Wait briefly.
- Power it back on.
- Allow it to fully boot.
- Repeat a basic functional check.
Expected outcome: The touchscreen and scan workflow should respond normally after restart.
If restart resolves the issue and readings are consistent, return the device to service after documenting the reset and successful test.
Check for Screen Prompts, Error Messages, or Software Warnings
The scanner may provide guidance that helps identify the cause.
Action:
Look for messages related to:
- Probe connection
- Scan quality
- Aiming
- Battery
- Storage
- Software update
- System error
- Calibration or service condition
Expected outcome: Any displayed message should be documented exactly as shown.
If a persistent system, probe, calibration, or service message appears, remove the device from service and escalate.
Confirm the Correct Exam Workflow Is Being Used
Incorrect patient or scan workflow can create documentation confusion or perceived inaccurate results.
Action:
- Confirm staff are using the correct scan mode, patient selection workflow, and result save process.
- Check whether the reported “wrong result” is actually a documentation, upload, or patient association issue.
Expected outcome: The displayed scan result and saved result should match the intended patient/workflow.
If the scanner reads correctly but results are being assigned, saved, or uploaded incorrectly, troubleshoot the connectivity/documentation workflow instead.
Compare Against Another Scanner if Available
A comparison can help separate device failure from patient or technique issues.
Action:
- Use another verified bladder scanner on the same type of scenario if clinically appropriate.
- Compare the results only as a general troubleshooting reference, not as a diagnostic decision by Clinical Engineering.
Expected outcome: If another scanner consistently detects the bladder while the BladderScan i10 does not, the i10 may require service evaluation.
If both devices struggle, the issue may be patient condition, technique, or scan environment.
Review Recent History
Recent drops, cleaning events, software issues, or charging problems may explain the failure.
Action:
Ask staff whether the scanner was recently:
- Dropped
- Exposed to fluid
- Cleaned with excess liquid
- Left off charger
- Updated
- Moved between departments
- Used after a long period of storage
Check work order history for repeat complaints.
Expected outcome: Repeated or event-related failures are identified.
If the issue started after physical damage or fluid exposure, remove the device from service.
If the Problem Persists
If poor bladder detection or inaccurate volume readings continue after external checks, cleaning, gel use, technique, patient factors, battery status, restart, and workflow have been ruled out, the issue may involve the probe, ultrasound subsystem, software, calibration, or internal electronics.
The device should be:
- Removed from service
- Labeled Out of Service
- Sent for repair, manufacturer support, or bench evaluation
Knowing when to stop is proper troubleshooting. Clinical Engineering should not continue relying on a bladder scanner that cannot provide repeatable and clinically reasonable scan results.
Clinical Use Tip
Do not troubleshoot questionable bladder volume readings while staff are actively making a patient care decision. Move the patient to another verified bladder scanner or alternate approved assessment method first. Troubleshooting should only continue when patient care is protected.
Work Order Documentation (CCR Method)
CCR = Complaint, Cause, Resolution
Complaint
What was reported by the clinical staff.
Example:
"Nursing reported that the Verathon BladderScan i10 was giving inconsistent bladder volume readings and frequently failed to detect the bladder."
Cause
What was observed during troubleshooting.
Example:
"Probe face was found with dried gel residue, and repeat testing showed improved scan consistency after cleaning and proper gel application."
Resolution
What action was taken.
Example:
"Cleaned probe surface, verified adequate gel use, restarted the unit, performed functional scan workflow check, and returned the BladderScan i10 to service."
Helpful Details to Include (If Known)
- Outlet or charger tested
- Battery level at time of complaint
- Whether scanner was restarted
- Probe face condition
- Gel condition and amount used
- Patient factors reported
- Scan confidence or aiming behavior
- Any displayed warnings or error messages
- Whether another scanner was used for comparison
- Whether issue occurred on one patient or multiple patients
- Recent drop, fluid exposure, or cleaning event
- Final device status
Final Thought
Poor bladder detection should be approached logically before assuming device failure. Clinical Engineering should first rule out safety concerns, gel contact, probe condition, patient factors, technique, battery status, and workflow problems. If the device still cannot produce repeatable, reasonable results, escalation is the correct action. Clear CCR documentation protects patient safety and supports future repair decisions.
That is successful troubleshooting.