User training-the neglected factor in clinical engineering

User training is one of the most neglected aspects of clinical engineering. The initial results of a survey currently underway in hospitals in the United Kingdom, shows that clinical engineering departments spend 0.6% of their time either preparing for or providing training. At the same time they report that 23% of the reported failures of critical care equipment are due to user error. In this paper it is advocated that it is a mistake to ignore user training. Although investing in a formal training programme can be initially time consuming, with few short term results, in the long term it will have economic as well as safety benefits that will far outweigh the initial investment.