These last few weeks have been spent doing a lot of work on oxygen concentrator filters and sieve beds. We finally got the time to focus on making educational posters to place in the hospitals near the concentrators.
One thing I have learned since being here and getting feedback on different Rice designs and oxygen concentrator tools is that education really is key. A device can be the easiest to use and most needed technology there is, but if the users do not understand why it is needed, then the device will never get used. Making sure the need is present and known is crucial to creating a valuable design that has the potential for use in any setting. I have seen this problem a lot with maintaining oxygen concentrators. A main reason we focused on making locally available filters for the outside of the concentrator is because a large number of concentrators in Malawi do not have filters on them. This is a huge problem that many people do not know about. Without the filter, the oxygen concentrators lifespan is significantly reduced due to the dirt and other contaminates that are allowed to enter the system and cause contamination to various parts of the device. Concentrators still get used without the filter simply because people do not realize it is a problem. Thus, one of our projects here has been an educational poster to show nurses and doctors the maintenance that must be done to concentrators to keep them in working order.
Whenever any new device is being developed a huge thing that needs to be talked about is education behind the problem it is solving. Unfortunately, this does not always seem to be addressed until the end when the product is being sold. Oxygen concentrators have been used in Malawi for a long time and yet the education still is not present to show how to properly clean the device and use it only with filters.
As we have been developing the educational poster, it has been great being able to go to Queens to get feedback on the material to make sure it is clear. Harvey and Vincent went to Queens and received a lot of positive feedback! A lot of nurses did not realize what maintenance needed to occur on the device and welcomed having more information.