All healthcare workers who use medical oxygen systems should understand the whole oxygen ecosystem and should be able to outline safety considerations of oxygen systems implemented in their facilities so that quality medical oxygen safely reaches all patients in need. This course is an introduction to medical oxygen systems.
Photo credits: WHO / Laura Velez
Language: English
Health topic
Course information
Medical oxygen is a life-saving essential medicine with no substitute. It is used for the management of hypoxaemia across both communicable and noncommunicable diseases such as pneumonia, tuberculosis and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and the treatment of some acute HIV-, tuberculosis-, cancer-, cardiovascular-, and malaria-related conditions. Medical oxygen is essential for surgery and for stabilizing patients in critical care and trauma wards. Of notable importance, access to medical oxygen is critical for pregnant women during and after delivery, for newborns in respiratory distress, and for other vulnerable groups including, but not limited to, neonates, children, and ageing populations. Oxygen needs are ever-present and span the healthcare continuum.
In many developing countries, not all health facilities have uninterrupted access to adequate volumes of medical oxygen, a shortcoming that contributes to preventable deaths. These already taxed systems were further stressed during the COVID-19 pandemic when the need for medical oxygen grew beyond existing capacities.
As a result, there has been a global effort to scale up and increase access to medical oxygen by implementing different types of oxygen systems. These systems for production, storage and distribution of medical oxygen constitute various highly interdependent components including medical devices, pressure vessels and specialised ancillary equipment. Increasing accessibility of medical oxygen requires tackling the whole oxygen ecosystem and, when acquiring new technologies, a comprehensive planning process followed by meticulous implementation, which must consider ongoing operations, maintenance and monitoring. This course is an introduction to medical oxygen systems.
Course duration: Approximately 2 hours.
Certificates: A Certificate of Participation is provided to participants who complete 100% of the course material.
What you'll learn
- Describe elements of the oxygen ecosystem and life cycle of medical oxygen systems
- Correlate important aspects of safety and quality management of medical oxygen systems in health facilities
- Identify key equipment and characteristics of the medical oxygen systems, including Oxygen Generation Plants
Who this course is for
- Health workers, biomedical engineers and technicians, and any other personnel managing medical oxygen systems.
Course contents
Module 1: Oxygen ecosystem & oxygen systems:
By the end of this module, you will outline the key concepts, regulatory frameworks and standards related to medical oxygen and oxygen systems. Describe what is the oxygen ecosystem. Explain the life cycle of oxygen systems. Identify challenges of global humanitarian procurement of medical equipment and considerations prior to procurement.Module 2: Quality assurance and quality control:
By the end of this module, you will apply the concepts of quality assurance and quality control in health facilities. Correlate important aspects that should be included in an Operational plan for medical gases. Define different types of testing equipment for medical gases.Module 3: Improving safety of implemented medical oxygen systems:
By the end of this module, you will infer the importance of implementing risk management strategies. Analyze different types of medical oxygen risks. Outline safety considerations.Module 4: Medical oxygen systems:
By the end of this module, you will clarify the concepts of pressure and flow. Recognize different production sources for medical oxygen. Describe the key considerations for the liquid oxygen (LOX) value chain. Identify the main components of Pressure Swing Adsorption (PSA) oxygen generator plants. List the main components of Medical Gases Piping Systems (MGPS). Explain the main characteristics of oxygen high-pressure cylinders.
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Certificate Requirements
- Gain a Confirmation of Participation by completing at least 100% of the course material.