Computers

In any hospital an Emergency generator is a necessity in order for the hospital to run effectively and keep running through any operation or emergency. Within a hospital environment there are many machines and equipment that requires a constant power supply at all times. Life saving equipment in the resuscitation room needs to have a back up encase of a power cut. All hospitals have an emergency back up and emergency equipment on hand whether they are NHS or private. X-ray equipment also needs the assurance of a high availability emergency back up.

Within a hospital environment there are many pieces of equipment that rely on power at all times. The offices within a hospital have computers installed on them, all hospitals have a patient database with all private and confidential information listed, this information needs to be accessed at all times encase a member of family needs to be contacted regarding any emergency. The operating theatres require a certain amount of light, which is essential to the surgery, during the surgery the patient has heart monitors and life saving equipment which is all run off electricity. Without the electricity the patient is at serious risk.

X-ray equipment within the hospital also relies on electricity. The MRI scanner which is an enormous piece of equipment required a vast amount of power in order for it to operate. The scanner is Magnetic and doesn’t inflict radiation upon the patient as other x-ray equipment does. The scanner helps diagnose certain conditions and is often used before surgery to obtain the relevant pictures which the consultant requires whilst operating. For instance if the patient as a back complaint and a disc prolapse then the scans would determine at which level the prolapse is and the surgeon would need to see the scans prior and during surgery.

The CT scanner does much the same as the MRI scanner however the CT scanner is not usually used to diagnose back problems or head problems (it does on occasion but this it is more the MRI scanner which is used for this). The CT scanner usually scans people with bowel, abdomen or chest problems. It is a much quicker scan than the MRI scanner and doesn’t require the patient to keep still for as long. However it does use a huge amount of radiation hence why the MRI scanner is used more than the CT.

Keeping a hospital running and topped up with electricity whatever the circumstance is critical so weekly tests are usually done on the generator to check that it is operating fully and is a reliable back up should the worse happen. Complete shut down of all computer systems is required before the generator test. Other procedures are in place within the hospital encase of other emergencies such as fires, there are fire doors in place all over the building particularly on the corridors surrounding theatre and the patient rooms, again the fire system is checked on a weekly basis to ensure the smooth running of systems at all times. If there is a fire and the surgeons are operating then they are required to keep operating as the fire doors should retain the fire until the fire service arrives.