BIOMED Roundup

The hard work put in by the members of a Colorado Association of Biomedical Equipment Technicians (CABMET) certification study group has paid off. The 13-member study group achieved a 100% pass rate on a recent certification exam, resulting in 12 new certified biomedical engineering technicians (CBETs) and one new certified radiology equipment specialist (CRES).

“You have to be committed to passing the test and set aside time each day to study for it,” says David Scott, CBET, vice president of CABMET. “CABMET has found that a formal group is the best way to prepare for the exam.”

Other secrets to the group's success include starting early—they usually begin preparing for an exam at least seven weeks in advance—and utilizing the BMET Study Guide CD, available at http://marketplace.aami.org.

The California Medical Instrumentation Association (CMIA) hosted a six-hour class called “Essentials of Accident Investigation for Clinical Engineers,” featuring Albert de Richmond, associate director of the ECRI accident and forensic investigation group.

According to de Richmond, when an accident happens, you need to know what happened and why it happened, and how you can prevent it from happening again. “The ultimate goal of accident investigation is to prevent future accidents.”

De Richmond stressed the need during an investigation to preserve all evidence, including used tubing and disposable items.

“He was like Sherlock Holmes, using his extensive knowledge and color images to explain the finer details of medical accident investigation,” Dale McIntire, board member of CMIA's Bay Area chapter, said of de Richmond. “He showed how to identify different types of electrical burns. He also showed us what necrosis, caused by lack of circulation during surgery, looks like and how it progresses. And we even saw the effects of different types of fires in the operating room. Some of the slides were difficult to watch, but his enthusiasm for the subject was impressive.”