There are hundreds of thousands of types of medical, surgical and hospital instruments and equipment in use today. As different as these items are, they all serve the same basic purpose, which is to help people get well (or at least feel better). This equipment comes in three basic categories; diagnostic, surgical and patient comfort or monitoring. Below, we will look at some of the most commonly used instruments and equipment in each category.

The purpose of diagnostic equipment and instruments is to diagnose medical conditions in patients. Probably the most familiar is the thermometer, used to determine a patient’s body temperature; several types of thermometer are in use today, the most common being a digital ear thermometer. Other, more complex diagnostic equipment is used to diagnose more specific conditions. Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) uses magnetic fields to find tumours or other abnormalities inside one’s body.

Cutting tools are the most often used types of surgical instruments; scalpels, even lasers, are used to ensure that no more damage than necessary comes to the patient. As these instruments are not disposable, sterilisation equipment then, is essential to maintaining sanitary conditions.

Probably the most recognisable medical, surgical and hospital instruments and equipment are those designed for patient comfort and monitoring. Monitoring equipment includes items such as heart rate and monitors; patient comfort equipment can be anything from beds to bedpans, televisions to gowns. Hospitals use an astonishing amount of equipment to help people recover; knowing a little about the equipment being used may provide some reassurance should you have the need to visit one.