1. Instrument Maintenance
Quality Assurance
Instrument Maintenance

2. Instrument and equipment quality assurance program include:
Reliable instrument and equipment performance is one of the objectives of a comprehensive well structured quality assurance program
Instrument and equipment quality assurance program include:
Performance verification
Function verification
Preventive maintenance

3. 1- Performance Verification
Involves periodic and systematic checking of an instrument with reference materials or standard solutions:
Examples include:
Checking wavelength calibration of spectrophotometers using narrow band pass filters at specific wavelengths
Verification of thermometer accuracy with an National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) –reference thermometer
Verification the accuracy of measurements of an analytical balance using NBS class S weights
Class S signifies that the weights are for precision laboratory standards for scientific use, and are used for reference, calibration and precision analytical work.

4. 2- Function Verification
This involves checking and adjusting an instrument for proper operation
These activities include:
The recording of temperatures, voltage readings, optical densities, and background counts
Instrument calibration, zero adjustment, and linearity adjustment
Routine quality control analysis to monitor analysis
These procedures are performed on a daily basis or frequently to detect changes in instrument function and to make the necessary corrections
The optical density of a substance is the logarithmic ratio of the intensity of transmitted light to the intensity of the incident light passing through the substance.

5. 3- Preventive Maintenance
This involves:
Cleaning
Adjustment
Scheduled replacement of parts
Preventive maintenance includes Shift, daily, weekly and monthly maintenance procedures performed by technologist or manufacturer service representative
Examples include:
changing of pumping tubing at regular intervals
Changing membranes on electrodes in blood gas analyzers
Cleaning sample probes and lines with sodium hypochlorite to remove protein buildup

6. Responsibilities and Implementation
The laboratory manager
Responsible for seeing that an effective verification and maintenance program is initiated
Periodic evaluation of program effectiveness
Ensuring that remedial action is taken when problems arise
Documentation availability for accrediting agencies
The supervisor
Assists in the development of the verification and maintenance program and oversees its implementation
He sees that each technologist understands his responsibilities
Keeps the manager aware of any deficiencies or problems and to oversee their correction

7. Responsibilities and Implementation
The Technologist
Responsible for the performance of verification and maintenance procedures
Detection of problems and errors and initiate the necessary corrective action
Document all verifications, maintenance and corrective procedures
Keep the supervisor informed of any problem
The Manufacturer
Providing an instrument operators manual and suggested maintenance schedule
Provide basic training for laboratory technicians

8. Steps In Implementation of a verification and maintenance program
Gather information concerning operation and performance parameters of all instrumentation and equipment:
Tools required for verification and maintenance procedure
Reagents, standards, materials to be purchased and stocked
Expected hazards
Outline the necessary schedules for each procedure and designate responsible individuals
Assignment of daily responsibilities, training of personnel
Review and update instrument profile. Lab. manager verifies and documents the maintenance profile annually to evaluate its effectiveness

9. The Basic Outline of an Instrument Verification and Maintenance Profile
Demographic information
Instrument make/model and serial number
Service information including:
Manufacturer's address
Service and technical representative's address and telephone number
Type of service contract and the contract reference or purchase order number
Warranty information listing:
Effective dates of the warranty
What the warranty covers
Conditions that may invalidate warranty
How to get help with warranty problems

10. The Basic Outline of an Instrument Verification and Maintenance Profile
Laboratory personnel training and skill levels required for:
Operation
Routine maintenance
Repair and nonroutine service
Requirements for the installation and proper operation of the instrument including
Environmental conditions (temperature and lighting)
Electrical and water utilities requirements

11. The Basic Outline of an Instrument Verification and Maintenance Profile
Brief discussion of the principles of operation
Parts and equipment necessary for performance and function verification and preventive maintenance listing the necessary tools, reagents, and standards
Schedule of verification and maintenance procedures listing the following:
1. Instructions on how to perform each procedure
2. Schedule and checklist for performance of each procedure
3. Reference to instrument manual

12. The Basic Outline of an Instrument Verification and Maintenance Profile
Precautions listed
1. Personnel safety precautions
2. Protection of the instrument
3. Procedures that should not be attempted by the user
References
1. Instrument manual
2. Other important references

13. Service Contracts
Service contracts are provided by many manufacturers of instruments or by independent service vendors to perform routine preventive and emergency maintenance on the larger and more complex instruments
Full service or partial service contracts may be needed.

14. Service Contracts
In choosing the level of maintenance consider the following:
The complexity of the instrument
Some instruments do not need experts for maintenance
e.g. microhematocrit centrifuge
Other instruments need full- time service contract or part- time service or purchase service when needed
Urgency of the test
If the test is a stat, contract for 24 h, 7 days service is needed, if the test is not urgent, it is more economical to purchase a 5- day contract
Charges for routine replacement parts
maintenance on a competitive basis "maintenance by third- party companies"

15. Non-routine Maintenance, trouble shooting the malfunctioning instrument
Problems requiring extra effort to overcome, the following guide lines may help solve the problem:
Do not panic
Define the problem
Is there any past experience on the same problem
Try the simplest approach to solve the problem
Replace good parts for bad
Ask for help from a supervisor or contact the manufacturer if the above solutions fail
The instrument serial number, service contract, purchase order, service provider's name and telephone number should be posted on each instrument for easy access.