Independent Component 1

Literal

I, Kenji Karuhaka, affirm that I completed my independent component which represents 30 hours of work.

While working at San Dimas Community Hospital under Winston Gotte, I have learned about some of the basics of being a Biomed. I have helped repair and maintain different equipment during "Preventative Maintenance" or PM's. I have also taken apart and put back together several defective medical equipment in order to get used to taking things apart, the layouts of common equipment, and get an intro to electrical engineering.

This is where I work when in Biomed and taking things apart.



This is used to test patient boxes which are used to monitor patient vitals.



These are also used with the above monitor and can simulate different situations.



This is an analyzer that Winston had me take apart and pointed out different parts of the circuit board.






Interpretive

I worked at the hospital in the Biomed department during my service learning. I feel that since my topic is Biomedical Engineering, this is very relevant. I am also learning about hospital layouts, basic skills for a Biomed, the different equipment within a hospital, and how different departments associate with Biomed. Much of my service learning, is spent shadowing and assisting in little jobs with Winston. However, when we have free time, he shows me different things that he feels is important to know or does things that he usually does with trainees, such as taking apart medical equipment. 

This is an IV pump which I also got to take apart when I started. This is one of the most common pieces of equipment in a hospital.

 I also took apart this recorder for practice.


Applied

I feel that it helps answer my EQ because hospital equipment is essential and makes a job a lot easier if you know what everything is. There were times where I had to pick up a piece of equipment from a department. I would use the exact name for whatever I had to pick up, however, sometimes people would get confused as to what I was asking for. However, if it was a new piece of equipment to me, I had no way to explain it. This resulted in the errand taking longer than it had to. 

Communication is also very important because sometimes, you are asked a question by a patient and you need to assist as much as possible. Or when, like mentioned before, you are talking to hospital staff and can not get a message across. I have also seen this with Winston when someone asks about "defective" equipment, and he has to explain that it was just a small error. It can sometimes be irritating, however, you must always remain patient and collected. 

Simplicity is a big thing for Biomeds. This is because sometimes, the problem is so small and there is no need to over complicate things. Time wasted on something is time that could have been used more efficiently on another item. Winston told me that one thing he feels is essential is do to repairs, even if you have to do it on your own time. He said that he likes to tinker with different things in order to learn their layouts. "PM's rot your brain" is the reason why he suggests doing full repairs and tinkering in order to stay used to the technology.

Answer 1

(1) What is answer 1 to your EQ? Be specific in your answer and write it like a thesis statement.
A successful biomedical engineer is someone who is always up to date with medical equipment repairs and maintenance, is responsive whenever and wherever needed, and adaptive to different situations, people, and repairs that may need to be made.

(2) What possible evidence do you have to support this answer?
At my service learning, I am able to observe what a biomed does in the hospital setting. He constantly tells me how you need to be patient with people and that a lot of work is due to paperwork. I have helped with maintaining medical equipment such as patient monitors and IV pumps. I have also seen him do repairs on equipment used in operating rooms and the labs such as microscopes and vital monitors. Since I am at a community hospital, I don't see much of the bigger, more expensive equipment, but I always see common medical equipment. I am also learning about circuits and the different components. He has me sometimes look at something and figure out what may be wrong.

(3) What source(s) did you find this evidence and/or answer?
A majority of what I learn comes from my service learning (Winston Gotte). Research I get usually say the same things in more detail.

Service Learning

• Where are you working for your service learning? 
• San Dimas Community Hospital
• Who is your contact?
• Kathleen Rivero (Volunteer Coordinator)
• Winston Gotte (Biomed Engineer) - This is who I work with

• Summarize the services you have performed to complete the 10 hour requirement
• Winston has taught me how to solder wires, a brief look into circuit schematics and the different components. I have also assisted in different maintenance checks as well as gone to different departments to deliver or retrieve medical equipment,
• How many hours have you worked?
• 30-35 hrs

ESLR's

L: I am focusing on lifelong learner and being a citizen. This is because a biomedical engineer always has to stay up to date about new technologies and has to work in teams and other workers in a hospital. I feel that focusing on these aspects will help me develop the mentality of a Biomed.

I: I am always learning about new things as I go to my service learning. I practice different skills and learn about different medical equipments. I practice being a citizen because I always have to work with people in other departments and be respectful to the patients and workers.

A: It will help me become better because it sets me on the path of being a Biomed and helps start the skills I will need. I am also learning about the hospital environment and electrical engineering skills.

Third Interview Questions

1) What is most important for success as a Biomedical Engineer?
2) What kind of personality do you think a Biomed should have?
3) Would you become a specialist if you wanted to?
4) How often do you need to become updated on new technologies?
5) Do you often have to practice skills that on a regular basis so that you stay efficient?
6) On a busy day, about how many different departments do you usually tend to?
7) Do all hospitals only have one or two Biomeds?
8) What is the most amount of PM's you have had to do in one day?
9) Do you ever take your work home with you if you can't finish at the hospital?
10) What is your motivation to be a Biomed?

Self-Reflection

(1) How do you think you are doing so far in your senior project and why?  AE, P, AP, CR, or NC
I think I have like a P in my senior project because my grade report says so. xb Also, I feel that I have actually learned a little more about what a biomedical engineer does. At my service learning, I can see the kind of work the BME does as well as learn about how they think. My service learning allows me to take about several pieces of hospital equipment and look at the circuit boards and see how everything is connected. He has also shown me the kind of paperwork they must fill out and how everything is organized. Also, through my research, I have gained a better understanding of the kind of schooling an individual must get and how competitive the field may get in the future.

(2) What one thing do you think you have done well on and why?
I think I have done well with my service learning because even though I only go once a week, I get a chance to do things hands on. Usually, students must go to college and get an internship to work within a hospital.

(3) What is one thing you would like to improve on and why? 
I want to be able to work with more complicated and essential equipment and possibly do repairs as well in order to get the full experience. That will take time however and for now, I must learn as much as possible in the time I am allowed.

Science Fair Proposal

1. What is your hypothesis?
If someone wears nail polish, then the accuracy of the pulse oximeter will decrease.

2. Identify the dependent (produced), independent (manipulated) and control variables in your hypothesis.
The independent variable is the color of the nail or the type of artificial nail.
The dependent variable is the accuracy of the pulse oximeter.
The control is the colors of the nail, thickness, the person volunteering for the experiment, and the type of pulse oximeter used.


3. What is the connection between your science fair project and your senior project EQ?
The connection is that Biomedical Engineers have to know how different medical equipment works. All hospitals must have a pulse oximeter of some kind and this will allow me to start to realize how to learn about something in the field and gain an understanding if I get into the field.


4. How will you perform the experiment?  Include the equipment you plan on using.
I will try to perform the experiment by first checking accuracy with regular nails and using that as a starting base. Then I will ask volunteers to wear different shades of nail polish and then using a finger probe to measure the oxygen saturation within the blood. I will then do the experiment a third time using artificial nails. I plan on using several colors of nail polish, artificial nails, a patient monitor which shows the pulse and oxygen saturation of a patient, and a finger probe.


5. Which category will your project be listed under?  (For a full list of categories, go to the iPoly Physics webpage, then to the Science Fair tab.)
It will go under physics because I am experimenting about spectrographic readings.