Practitioner's Manual
25 Pages
Preview
Page 1
Published by Ramsey Coote Healthcare Pty Ltd t/as Ramsey Coote Instruments Unit 1B, 2 Jacks Rd South Oakleigh Victoria 3167 Australia
© Copyright Ramsey Coote Instruments VIC 2011 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form, or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the prior written permission of the publisher. Publisher: Michelle Naughton
Contents Chapter 1:
Welcome To This Manual ... 3
Chapter 2:
Abridged Operating Instructions ... 5
Chapter 3:
Basic Facts ... 8
Chapter 4:
Familiarisation of Control Unit and Bed-pad System ... 9
Chapter 5:
Child-Centered Consultations ... 13
Chapter 6:
Routine Maintenance and Service ... 17
Chapter 7:
Questions & Answers ... 22
Chapter 8:
References ... 24
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Chapter 1: Welcome To This Manual Ramsey Coote instruments is a leading medical device company which manufactures and supplies control units and bed pads for the treatment of nocturnal enuresis. With in-depth practical knowledge and almost 60 years of experience, Ramsey Coote Instruments is dedicated in assisting and collaborating with practitioners, health care providers and families to help children become dry at night. About Ramsey Coote Instruments Founded in 1954, Ramsey Coote instruments have been providing control units and bed pads to practitioners and hospitals all over Australia and New Zealand. Ramsey Coote Instruments have three models: Model P Model NB and PB
Multiple-frequency brass bell Brass dome bell which emits a maximum sound at 6000Hz (cycles); the PB also has an elapsed timer to give an accurate measure of the time the child takes to respond to the bell.
Picture 1: All Alarm control units have the same front panel and use instructions.
Features include: Improved acoustic qualities due to front panel grill Reduced inflow of dust by the inclusion of fine mesh behind the grill A prominent red on/off switch Bright light source using LEDs to show the child where the alarm is during the night. Bright red light on during charging of the control unit.
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Picture 2: All Ramsey Coote control units have a model and serial number. The model above is the PB and it has an elapsed timer that can show how long it takes for the child to wake up, after they have wet, and switch the alarm control unit off.
It has been hypothesised that loudness perception of children is maximized at higher frequencies due to the smaller size of the auditory canal. A smaller canal induces resonance at higher frequency which intern boosts loudness perception1. Children differ in their responses to the bell alarm. With the three models of alarms all levels of bell response are catered for. Ramsey Coote is committed to customer service. We provides continuous customer service through:
Two year warranty on all new control units and new bed pads, Advice and training of health care professionals and nurses, Servicing and repair of all equipment and the provision of a one-year warranty on parts and labour. Made to Australian Standard 2394 TGA and FDA registrations
About this Practitioner’s Manual This manual provides:
1
Abridged and detailed instructions on the operation and use of the control unit and bed pad, Theory and guidance on treatment of nocturnal enuresis Instructions on servicing and maintenance of the control unit and bed pad Reference list / additional information sources.
Personal communication between Prof Brian C J Moore and GB Marshall
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Chapter 2: Abridged Operating Instructions Charging the Alarm Control Unit’s Battery Obey the following safety rules Safety Rules:
An adult must take responsibility for charging the alarm
The charger must be kept in the supplied box away from the reach of children and
The alarm must be charged during the day, once a week, and not in the child’s bedroom.
Avoid tripping hazard with the bed pad to alarm control unit cord. Ensure that the cord is positioned so that the child does not trip over it.
Perform these steps: i. Check that the charging light is not on. ii.
Check that the ON-OFF switch is in the OFF position. This is the “Charging” position.
iii.
Plug in the charger at the power point and carefully push the charging plug into the socket on the right hand side of the alarm unit. Note – the plug should insert easily if the socked and plug are aligned correctly. If there is resistance when pushing in, stop and check the alignment.
Picture 1. Above -Note that is important to align battery charger plug and socket
iv.
Switch on the power point.
v.
Inspect the charging lamp; it should be illuminated (RED) indicating that charging is in progress and all the correct steps have been taken. Time for charging can be up to 16 hours during the day.
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Testing the Alarm and Bed Pad Operation i. ii.
iii.
Switch ON the alarm unit by flicking the ON/OFF switch to the down position. Press the test switch: the following should occur: a. The bell will ring – this should be loud and regular in beat b. The LED will light up simultaneously and should have a full glow within 5 seconds c. The light and bell operation should continue for at least 30 seconds. Test the bed pad: a. Connect the bed pad to the alarm unit by plugging the bed pad cord into the pad sockets on the front panel b. Using a U-wire (an opened up paper clip), place each wire onto the braids which are diagonally opposite from the connecting cord; this will trigger the alarm.
c. Observe the alarm and lamp as outlined above. IMPORTANT: PARENTS MUST BE MADE AWARE THAT WATER WILL NOT ACTIVATE THE ALARM. IT IS THE SALTS IN THE URINE THAT TRIGGERS THE ALARM.
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Control Unit and Bed-pad system set up for use
The diagram above provides a guideline to the set up of the system in the home. Bed-pad is fitted across the bed with waterproof under it and a very threadbare sheet over it. The alarm control unit needs to be far enough away so the child has to get out of bed to switch it off.
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Chapter 3: Basic Facts Rechargeable Battery All Ramsey Coote alarms are powered by a rechargeable battery. In the interests of safety, parents must be made aware that the power source for the alarm is the battery and NOT the battery charger. The alarm does not require the battery charger to be connected for operation. Urine is Salty Urine or saline will trigger the alarm. WATER WILL NOT TRIGGER THE ALARM! For the alarm to be triggered, approximately one tablespoon of urine or saline (if demonstrating) is required. This is enough to wet and connect two adjacent braids in the bed pad. Practitioners can demonstrate how the alarm is triggered by using a tablespoon of saline (as a urine substitute). The salt in the saline is an electrolyte that is able to conduct a current and trigger the alarm. The Alarm is not working!! The most common cause of the alarm being reports as “not working” is that the child has switched off the alarm. Proven Method for treating nocturnal enuresis The bell and pad method is a proven method for the treatment of nocturnal enuresis (Insert references here). Ramsey Coote Instruments has been established since 1954 and has provided the bell and pad to practitioners around Australia and New Zealand who have found this to be a successful treatment for helping children become dry at night. Activities to assist with successful treatment The following activities will ensure that there are successful treatment outcomes:
Familiarisation by the child and parents of the alarm control unit and bed-pad sensor system. Child-centred consultations, Use of the system in the home for the child and parents Routine maintenance (get a maintenance service every 3 years), Manufacturer’s repairs.
Knowledge and Skill The most important person in assisting the child to become dry is a skilled practitioner. A skilled practitioner should have all the necessary experience and knowledge to assist parent and their children to become dry.
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Chapter 4: Familiarisation of Control Unit and Bed-pad System The approach in this familiarisation requires that you begin with the alarm control unit in its box and the bed-pad in its cover in front of you. If you have clients that are hearing impaired or are not able to tolerate the bell, and parents who need to be supportive of their children, you need to consider having the Silent Wakener and Remote Buzzer as part of your treatment options.
Picture 1. Alarm control unit front panel is the same for all models
The box contains the alarm control unit and the charger for the unit's internal battery. It is divided into two compartments, one for the alarm and the other for its charger. Components The Bell-and-Pad has four main items and two supplementary items: 1. Alarm Control Unit – monitors the bed-pad and detects the wetting by urine, the bell rings within the unit and the LEDs illuminates the units position in a dark room. 2. Bed-pad – the sensor of the urine that forms the connection to set the control unit to ring the bell. 3. Battery Charger – connects to the mains power and the alarm control unit so that the batteries can be charged once a week. 4. Box to hold the alarm control unit and charger 5. Cover for bed-pad Additional Items 6. Silent Wakener - a vibrating device, almost noiseless for use under the pillow 7. Remote Buzzer – A buzzer with long cord that will alert parents when the control unit sets off the Silent Wakener or the bell. See picture 2. below
Picture 2 Ramsey Coote Instruments 2011
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Alarm Control Unit and Bed-pad System Operating components: 1. Control Unit Front Panel (See Picture 1.) a. On-Off switch with red lever where up is OFF and down is ON. The two operating modes are: i. Control unit operating - Control unit operating then the child switches the red lever down to put it ON. ii. When charging the batteries – responsibility of parent to switch to OFF mode, red lever in up position, the switch connects the internal battery to the battery charger plug for re-charging. This arrangement is part of the safe design - whenever the alarm is on, it is only connected to the internal battery. b. Charging light - The red light is when the battery is in charging mode and connected to the mains power. The charger socket is at the right hand end of the control unit. c. Test button – use when the On-Off switch is in On position; the bell will sound or silent wakener will vibrate, after you push the test button. Turn the On-Off switch to Off position and the bell sound or silent wakener vibration will stop for the test of the control unit. It does not test the bed-pad sensor. d. Bed-pad sockets – where the two bed-pad plugs connect to the control unit. e. Silent wakener socket – for use with the hearing impaired child or child that is sensitive to the bell sound and is placed under the pillow. The silent wakener connects to control unit and vibrates when it is tested rather than the bell sound. When silent wakener connected the bell will not sound. f.
Remote Buzzer socket - The remote buzzer provides the wakening call in the bedroom of the parent simultaneous with the bell or silent wakener. The extension cord is 13 metres long. Other lengths can be supplied to special order. The buzzer will sound whenever the wet condition occurs.
g.
Rubber protectors - At both ends, rubber mouldings give protection. These provide the soft base to permit the alarm to be placed on bedroom furniture, and also provide protection against damage should the alarm control unit be knocked over on its front panel or dropped.
2. Battery Charger (See picture 3 below.) a. Carefully align to connect plug to the socket on right hand end of control unit and has a special plug and socket to prevent inadvertent use of another charger that could damage the battery. b. The specific output is 12 volts nominal and 410mA maximum. c. Parents are responsible to charge at least once a week during the day, ready for use in the night.
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Picture 3
3. Bed-pad a. The bed-pad is the sensor of the control unit and comes in a cover for protection of the bed-pad during carriage and transport. i. The upper surface contains two electrodes, made of corrosion resistant braid,
laid in recessed grooves. The braid is well below the surface to prevent contact and to prevent perspiration from triggering the bell. The shape requires the minimal volume of urine to operate the bell while avoiding false alarms from perspiration. This upper surface receives the urine from the voiding child through a covering sheet. ii. At one corner, the connecting cord is looped through the pad to be joined to
the sensor electrodes on the lower surface. It has two plastic “buttons” which are the upper ends of terminal posts on the lower surface at which electrodes and connecting cord join together. iii. On opening the cover’s flap, notice the end of the roll and that the connecting cords plugs are tucked into the centre of that roll. A velcro strap secures the cord to end of the pad. The pad is a tight roll, rolled in a particular way so that the end with the connecting cord is on the outside of the roll and can be wound around the roll to hold it tight. b.
Withdraw the pad from its cover, remove the velcro, unroll the cord, and then the pad. Again, notice the way the pad is rolled with the grooved surface to the outside and instructions printed on the lower surface. This detail of rolling the pad has to be conveyed to the parents of your client.
Correct rolling maximizes the life of the pad. If the pad is folded it may diminish the braid life and cause a disconnection so the alarm will not work.
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Operation- how to set up the system for use in the home.
The pad sits across the bed covered by a thin cotton sheet. The long side provides for children rolling side-to-side in bed. So it is the long side that goes across the bed. The recessed electrodes are parallel with the long side. A small volume of urine, less than a tablespoon full, is enough to make the circuit between two adjacent braids. Urine is an electrolyte - that is an electricity-conducting medium and water is a poor conductor. Please note that a normal saline solution will demonstrate what urine does. Water from the tap will not! That small volume joins any two adjacent braids. Hairpins or paper clips spread to contact adjacent braids are practical ways to show that electricity flows to trigger the alarm.
Making up the bed Making up the bed places the bed-pad in position and locates the cord where it will not be caught up and pulled on. Attend to the layers making up the bed on the mattress: 1. Put the water-proof over the mattress in the usual fashion; 2. Place the lower sheet over the water-proof; 3. The family can also get a waterproof sheet again to fit under the bed-pad so that it is easier to change at night (This is an option for parents to decide what they want to do). 4. Place the bed-pad with its long side and its recessed electrodes across the bed. This way, the child can roll back and forth across the bed and still be on the bed-pad. Its position is underneath the child’s bottom so as to be wetted. 5. Place the cover-sheet of thin cotton, sometimes referred to as a draw-sheet, placed over the bed-pad and well tucked in, so as to hold the pad firmly in position. 6. Lay the cord from the bed-pad to the alarm unit so as it is under the cover-sheet and tucked away where the child’s movement in and out of bed will not drag on the cord. 7. Make up the top of the bed as usual – top sheet, blankets and quilt according to the season. The coverage should be the minimum for enough warmth. The child should be warm in bed and not so hot as to perspire.
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Chapter 5: Child-Centered Consultations This manual’s main concern is the use and maintenance of enuresis control unit and bed-pad system. It is not intended to be a treatment manual. However we do present guidelines to treatment from our experience in collaborating with practitioners in helping children become dry at night.
Approach The program is to teach the child to sense the full bladder during sleep. The teaching aid is the control unit and bed-pad sensor. At the start, it is the enuresis alarm that is sensing that the child’s bladder is full at the onset of wetting. The simultaneous stimuli – the bladder emitting “I am full” signals to the brain and the bell ringing and emitting “wake up sound” create the learning opportunity. It is an opportunity only as the child has to wake up to learn those “I am full” signals from the bladder. During the consultation the practitioner has two roles, one for the child and one for the parents. The manual will focus on the “child- centred” consultations but emphasises the difficulty of engaging the child in open discussion in the presence of parents.
Before the Consultation 1. The practitioner will need to determine if the child is healthy, age appropriate and suitable for the program. The child needs to be of a mature enough age to understand what they need to do to help with success and it is important that the parents take an active “coaching” role to assist the child through the program. 2. If a medical doctor is not supervising it is best to have a medical examination to ensure that there are no other physical disorders prior to commencement of the program. This will determine any conditions that need other forms of treatment. 3. Take a diary and record of the child’s base line for a week prior to the program (some practices do this for 3 days and others up to 2 weeks). This is helpful to monitor the progress of the treatment. It is important to have the diary, as it will help the practitioner work on a strategy with the family.
Consultation Guideline This is a general list to look at preparing for consultation by a practitioner
Introduction of practitioner and the service being offered. Interview will need to cover the following content:
The child (date of birth, gender) Family background – any other bed wetters in the family General health – medical background Bed wetting – how often Previous attempts at getting dry Lay out of the house Explain bed-wetting, how common it is and how it runs in families. Explain what brings about success and the way to get a dry bed (persistence is important)
Explain the role of the child, to take responsibility for their bedwetting and
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Explain the role of the parent, to support and coach the child
Demonstrate un packing of control unit and bed-pad
Demonstrate and complete a “dummy” run of how to use the system.
Be ready for “I am told these alarms wake everyone up in the house” and explain about habituation. (The child with the problem will learn to wake up with support and the rest of the family will go back to sleep.)
Explain how the control unit and bed-pad works with the child and get them comfortable turning the switches on and off and role-playing what they will do when they wake up in the night. If using the model with the timer explain how the timer works and what to write down for progress to getting dry. Use saline solution to show how the bed-pad sensor works to set off the bell.
Discuss the lay out of the home and any impact that may have on going to the toilet eg, a light may need to be left on for them.
Drinks in the late afternoon and evening should not be restricted but encouraged
When they get home it is important to practice again, say three times, so that they know what to do when the sleepy child wakes up, goes to the toilet and records their progress, a parent may need to help them with this.
Criterion of success is 14 successive dry nights.
The practitioner and child (and parents) need to keep in touch to problem solve any queries, usually once a week and then once every two weeks.
Parents are responsible for the charging of the control unit at least once a week. Also to ensure that the equipment is well cared for during the period of use in the home.
Care and cleaning of bed-pad explained to the parents.
Demonstrate the repacking of the control unit and bed-pad system.
At the end of the consultation review the activities that the child and parents need to do and re-emphasise keeping in touch to problem solve, and schedule next consultation or contact time.
Transfer of responsibility at the end of the consultation is important as this is when the child and parents leave the consult room with one carrying home either the bed-pad or the control unit and the other carrying the bed-pad or control unit.
During Treatment
Supervision and support is essential for success and the first one to two weeks are very important to cover any uncertainty of the use of the system. Telephone support can help answer many questions and some practitioners get the child and parents in for a visit after the first week to clarify any queries.
It is the child learning to be dry so the practitioner can monitor the recording of the progress. This is important for the child to see that they are improving and give them confidence in getting dry, reiterate its importance and problem solve any issues.
The child’s bed needs to be made up as previous instructions
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The child will need to be dressed in light bed- clothes so the urine can pass through them to the bed-pad sensor.
Actions by the child:
Going to bed. The child shall switch the alarm on and then get into bed.
Waking up. To learn, the child has to arouse to the ringing bell. The quickness of arousal will increase as the treatment progresses. Some children need assistance; others wake to the ringing bell. Parents have to assess the extent of assistance. Practitioners in the first follow up contact inquire as to the waking up and guide parents on what assistance is necessary, For example they may need to have a wet face cloth on the child to help wake them quickly.
Getting out of bed and to the alarm. The child, having triggered the alarm and become thoroughly aroused, gets up out of bed, takes the two steps to the alarm and then switches it off.
Switching off the alarm. The child has to switch the alarm off.
Going to the toilet and using it. The child goes to the toilet and empties the bladder into the toilet. The child must be thoroughly awake. The awake child can learn to be dry. It is the sleeping child that has been wetting. So ensure the parents do not let the child void into the toilet while half asleep.
Recording progress. When they return form the toilet it is important to record the following on their chart:
Date and time
Bed time
Time woken by the bell
Elapsed time on the bell control unit (PB model)
Size of wet patch (relate to size of plates eg dinner plate size)
Time of self awakening
Ease of wakening and other comments
Ramsey Coote Model PB can monitor progress as it has timer that can show how long it will take for the child, after they have wet, to get out of bed and switch the control unit off.
Return to Bed. The child returns to the bed and cleans the bed-pad with a towel and then re-makes the bed. (They may need parents to help with this as it is important that remaking the bed is not viewed as a punishment but rather them taking charge of their condition) Next morning: Wipe the bed-pad with a cloth soaked in clean warm water, wipe it dry and leave to air before the bed is made.
When the child has been dry for a consecutive 14 nights it is considered a success and to help minimise a chance of relapse the child can undergo an overlearning process. This is where the child can have 600mL (or 1 pint) of a drink (water, milk or fruit juice) over a couple of hours prior to bedtime. The amount of fluid is recorded on their chart and they continue with the program until they achieve 14 consecutive dry nights.
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At the End of Treatment 1. Final interview with the child and parents. 2. Inform the importance of immediate treatment when the child relapses. Relapses do occur being 2-3 children every 10 so it is a good policy to have a reserve control unit and bed-pad system for those children. Feedback from our practitioners suggest that minimal time is required to get children dry if they do not have to wait for an alarm. Delay of treatment may increase the time to get the relapsed child dry. 3. Return and check off the equipment (Control unit, charger, box, bed-pad, bed-pad cover and Manual for parents). Ramsey Coote Instruments often gets calls from practitioners about the chargers or the bed-pad covers not being returned so we suggest that you have a checklist to ensure that all parts get returned. 4. Write your report on the program for the child. 5. Follow-up on post treatment at 3 months, 6 months or 12 months. Reiterate that for a child that has relapsed, it is important that they return to the practitioner.
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Chapter 6: Routine Maintenance and Service There are three levels of maintenance. These are: 1. Parents Weekly Servicing 2. Practitioner Inspections and Servicing 3. Manufacturers Repairs and Service
1. Parents Weekly Servicing Parents or Guardians of the children are responsible for the keeping the alarm in serviceable condition by cleaning the bed-pad and charging the alarm control unit battery at least once a week. Instructions for doing this are: i.
Check that the charging light is not on.
ii.
Check that the ON-OFF switch is in the OFF position. This is the “Charging” position.
iii.
Plug in the charger at the power point and carefully push the charging plug into the socket on the right hand side of the alarm unit. Note – the plug should insert easily if the socked and plug are aligned correctly. If there is resistance when pushing in, stop and check the alignment.
iv.
Switch on the power point.
v.
Inspect the charging lamp; it should be illuminated (RED) indicating that charging is in progress and all the correct steps have been taken. Time for charging can be up to 16 hours during the day. See Picture below
2. Practitioners’ Inspection and Servicing Inspections It is a good idea for the practitioner to develop their own checklist of components with the parents on return to ensure no parts are missing, it easy to misplace a charger so it is good practice to do this. When the Alarm control unit and bed-pad is returned the practitioner can: i.
Conduct a physical inspection of alarm control unit to see that there is no damage or tampering. Most damage comes from impact where an alarm has been dropped or it has fallen. Typical damage from this will be broken switches and they can be
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replaced and repaired. There is a low incidence of tampering and again depending on the damage done then it can be repaired. ii.
Conduct a physical inspection of the battery charger by unrolling the 300mm lead and checking for any damage such as kinks and nicks. Check the charger socket to ensure the pins are all straight with no bends from any forceful use.
iii.
Conduct a physical inspection of the Bed-pad and damage plus wear and tear (We find at about 5 years the bed-pads will probably need a repair) which includes: a. raised or fractured braiding (this may stop the bed-pad from working), b. visual inspection of the braiding to see that there are no impending fractures as improper handling such as sharp folding or being used like a trampoline is usual not usual but can occur c. visual inspection and handling of the connection cord from the plugs to the termination at the bed-pad.
Servicing Practitioners will need to sanitise and clean bed-pads between each client that is seen. The bed-pad will last between 5-10 years and may last longer if it is regularly cleaned and maintained. There is wear and tear over time so it is important to inspect for any leakage, and test the electrical operations. The handling of the bed-pad during cleaning provides the opportunity to inspect for any build up of residues and lint particularly at the end of the braids. i.
Bed-pad Cleaning and Sanitising Many organisations will require protocols for cleaning and products to help with the cleaning. They can be detergent in warm soapy water or 2.8% Benzalkonium Chloride solution will also work plus the facility will need a sink or trough were it can be cleaned so the following protocol for cleaning can be used: a. Select cleaner such as 2.8% Benzalkoium Chloride and mix as per instructions eg., 100mLs to 5 litres of warm or cold water. b.
Submerge Bed-pad (ensure terminals and cord are not submerged)
c.
Using a soft brush, scrub each braided channel removing all traces of lint, especially at the end of the groove.
d.
Remove from solution and rinse well with water
e.
Hang over clothes rack to air dry, wire side up, indoors. Prolonged exposure to intense sunlight or heat could damage the rubber.
f.
When completely dry, roll up bed-pad with braid to the outside, wrap cord around bed-pad then place in the cover. It is ready for the next child to use.
Remember, like hand washing, that it is the movement of the scrubbing brush that will clean the bed-pad.
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ii.
Minor Repairs to fractured Strands of Bed-pads
The practitioner will require a “side-cutter” tool to be able to perform this repair. If there are too many breaks then individual lengths of braid can be repaired. We recommend replacement of the bed-pad over the age of ten years. a. Protruding strands of wire can be removed with side-cutters: Pull the strand carefully straight upwards. b. Flex the pad to expose the upstanding strand c. Place side-cutters, flat face downwards, so as to cut only the individual wire (that is do not pick up stitching between the cutter's blades). d. Cut the strand of wire as flush as possible. e. Gently flex the pad to draw the strand's end back into the braid. f.
Check by running the finger along the braid.
g. When this procedure becomes onerous the pad is due for repair by replacing braids. This repair will only be necessary after long use. iii.
Testing the Electrical Operation – Serviceability Tests (Ensure battery has been charged prior to testing)
a. Switch on the alarm control unit – On-Off switch in down position b. Test the control unit – press test switch and observe for at least 30 secs i. Ring of the bell – loud and regular beat. ii. Simultaneously light comes on with full glow within 5 seconds. iii. Continuous loud sound for at least 30 seconds. c. Test the bed-pad – while connected to the alarm control unit i. Plug the cord into pad sockets on the front of control unit ii. Use a paper clip to short two adjacent braids of the bed-pad at the corner diagonally opposite from the connecting cord to trigger the bell. See below iii. Observe the bell and light as outlined in b.
d. Test the Charging i. Check that the charging light is not on ii. Plug in the charger socket into charging plug and plug charger into power point. Ramsey Coote Instruments 2011
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iii. Check that Off-On switch in Off and charging position. iv. Switch on power point v. Inspect the charging lamp: it is bright red indicating that the current is flowing to recharge the battery. iv. Failure of Serviceability Tests a. Alarm control unit test when the bell and light do not operate i. The battery is flat – test battery again after 5 minutes of charging and re-do test. A failed battery will not respond but a good battery will pass this test so will need recharging. ii. The battery may have failed and this will happen when the battery is more than three years old and will fail without warning. It will not pass the recharge test. iii. The fuse may have blown. This is unusual. Insertion of a metal rod into the silent wakener socket while the bell is ringing may short circuit the battery. The withdrawal or insertion of the silent wakener when the control unit has been trigged may also short circuit the battery where this handling is roughly done. It is recommended that the battery be replaced every 3 years to minimise the risk of battery failure. b. Bed-pad Test where the bell and light do not operate i. Damage to the connecting cord or its connection to the bed-pad ii. Damage to the braid of the electrodes on either the upper or lower surface. It is recommended the Bed-pad be returned to Ramsey Coote Instruments for inspection and check to see if it can be repaired. c. Light Test where the bell operates and the light does not i. The lamp in older alarms will need replacement ii. Inverter circuit may need replacement It is recommended the Alarm control unit be returned to Ramsey Coote Instruments for inspection and check to see if it can be repaired.
3. Manufacturer’s Repairs The Ramsey Coote Alarm Control Unit and Bed-pad system is a therapeutic device and it is made under conditions specified by the relevant regulatory authorities. The company is the provider of repairs for its products and this approach ensures that we continuously check the technical performance of the products. The insight gained from repairing our products has been influential in the innovation of the alarm control unit so that features minimise the need for expensive repairs. i. Lives of the main components a. Internal battery will last approximately 3 years b.
LED light source is life of the control unit
c.
Bell is the life of the control unit
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