Since time immemorial, healthcare for patients has relied heavily on the effectiveness of medical devices. The Food & Drug Administration (FDA) Corporation defines a medical device for home use as one designed for users in a non-clinical or transient environment operated partly or entirely by the user (American Nurses Association, 2006). Medical devices include simple items such as tongue depressors, ventilators, etc. Currently, much of healthcare facilitation has moved from the hospital setting to the home setting. According to Dressler (1988), the use of advanced medical technologies in the home is constantly increasing and this trend is expected to intensify rapidly in the future. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why violent video games should not be banned”? Get the original essay The shift to health services for convalescence and long-term care has made the use of medical devices absolutely essential! More than 7 million people in the United States receive home health care. According to (Dumais, 2003), complex medical devices are frequently used at home and unfortunately, they are often used inappropriately! Most caregivers do not have the prior knowledge required to handle medical devices at home, making operation and maintenance of these devices intimidating! Contingencies such as device defects, user errors, environmental contingencies and electromagnetic interference resulting from improper handling of these devices have led to serious consequences! Since 1997, the United States Food & Drug Administration has reported more than 20,000 adverse incidents resulting from improper handling of medical devices (American Nurses Association, 2006). In a survey conducted by National Home Hospice Care, it was found that approximately 1.4 million patients received home health care services from approximately 7,200 agencies. Faced with these growing problems, the international regulatory community and the medical device industry have undertaken initiatives to improve home care. A significant portion of the U.S. population with chronic illnesses relies on daily medical care at home. Additionally, patients discharged from the hospital continue to take their medications at home, and without proper medical care at home, they are likely to suffer greatly! In addition to being cost-effective, medical devices are practical and effective. Telemedicine and wireless monitoring devices, for example, have enabled health care providers to remotely observe and communicate with care recipients at home. Robotics and electronics, on the other hand, have enabled the use of automated delivery of care requiring less intervention from a health professional (Konecny, 2003). Keep in mind: this is just a sample. Get a personalized paper from our expert now. writers.Get a Custom Essay As a home medical device user, it is essential to ensure that your home medical device is working properly and that you are able to handle it when eventualities arise! The FDA recognizes the importance of safe, high-quality home health care and medical devices that can meet the needs of patients at home (Rowell, 2003). To support the safe use of medical devices in the home, the FDA urges.