The Equipment Maintenance Section of the Finnish Society for Hospital Infection Control was established on 22 September 1992.
The reduction of infections was seen as one of the objectives of the Finnish Society for Hospital Infection Control. However, it is impossible to develop hospital hygiene without the input of all occupational groups. The task of the Equipment Maintenance Section was seen as the development of connections between the various equipment maintenance units in Finland, as well as the promotion of equipment maintenance-related issues within the Finnish Society for Hospital Infection Control.
Purpose of the Activities of the Equipment Maintenance Section
The Equipment Maintenance Section functions as a national expert on equipment maintenance. Its task is to improve patient safety and the occupational safety and health of personnel through the promotion of good equipment maintenance practice and the prevention of the spreading of care-related infections.
The key objectives of the Equipment Maintenance Section vary from year to year according to the requirements of equipment maintenance and the environment. The key objectives include:
ensuring and improving the quality of the equipment maintenance process,
infection control,
enhancing the managerial skills of equipment maintenance management and their coping in their work,
the development and maintenance of the expertise of equipment technicians,
raising awareness of the association among our partners, and
familiarisation with new regulations governing equipment maintenance.
Additionally, the Equipment Maintenance Section aims to promote cooperation with the National Supervisory Authority for Welfare and Health and the National Qualification Committee for Equipment Maintenance of the Finnish National Board of Education. The members of the Board of the Equipment Maintenance Section familiarise themselves with international equipment maintenance activities and training. Cooperation with various operators, such as various NGOs, suppliers in the field, colleagues in the Nordic Countries, the Baltic Countries, and elsewhere, is an extremely important forum for joint development and the dissemination of information.
Every autumn, the Equipment Maintenance Section organises a National Equipment Maintenance training seminar, while the annual seminar for equipment maintenance managers is held every spring. Additionally, various theme-specific events are organised in conjunction with the equipment maintenance seminar. The Equipment Maintenance Section displays its poster in seminars and events arranged by the Finnish Society for Hospital Infection Control and others.
The Finnish Society for Hospital Infection Control publishes an annual equipment maintenance issue (www.sshy.fi) with equipment maintenance-related topics, as well as those discussed in the seminars. With the magazine articles, the Equipment Maintenance Section aims to promote good equipment maintenance practice and to give recommendations for the implementation of a high-quality equipment maintenance process.
Where necessary, the Equipment Maintenance Section issues statements and submits initiatives for special working groups in the field. Training and development seminars are arranged annually for the Board of the Equipment Maintenance Section.
On the basis of applications, the Board of the Equipment Maintenance Section awards grants for projects that promote the objectives of the association. Grants are also awarded for scientific research and publication activities, conference and seminar trips, the maintenance of international connections, and lecture fees for lecturers.
Area: 338,145 km² (land: 303,815 km² water: 34,330 km²)
Population: 5,255,068 (July 2010)
Capital: Helsinki
Language: Finnish 91.2% (official), Swedish 5.5% (official), other 3.3% (small Sami- and Russian-speaking minorities)
Religion: Lutheran Church of Finland 82.5%, Orthodox Church 1.1%, other Christian 1.1%, other 0.1%, none 15.1%
Climate: cold temperate; potentially subarctic but comparatively mild because of moderating influence of the North Atlantic Current, Baltic Sea, and more than 60,000 lakes
Time Zone: UTC/GMT +2
Currency: Euro [EUR]
Location
Finland is in Northern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, Gulf of Bothnia, and Gulf of Finland, between Sweden and Russia.
With a total of 2,654 km land boundaries and 1,210 km coastline,
Finland shares borders with Norway (727 km), Sweden (614 km) and Russia (1,313 km).
Information about Finland