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Same here, entire unit...except well over 30 years.

Just a thought that maybe your process is more complicated than it really needs to be and the nursing staff fail to see the need for it to be so complicated beyond you telling them that's how is has to be done. Sorry but I have never been a fan of blood bank specific arm bands or blood samples (pink top tubes). If I said it once I've said it hundreds of times, complicating a process NEVER makes it better. My first blood bank supervisor, bless her heart, instilled in me the importance of the KISS principle: Keep It Simple Stupid! and I tried my best to adhere to it even in the face of adversity (corporate Transfusion QA)!! OK, I'll get off my soap box before I fall off.

I agree with Dr. Blumberg that pathogen inactivated platelets are probably safer than the "cultured" platelets and that the psoralin compound used in the process currently approved by the FDA crosslinks DNA/RNA thus preventing proliferation of most organisms and WBCs. However, to my knowledge the FDA has not given blessing for pathogen inactivation to supplant irradiation yet. Reading a copy of the "prescribing information" from Cereus would answer this question. However, it is expensive, $150-$200 premium on the current cost of the products. It is not yet approved for pooled platelet concentrate products. (six-pack) It is not yet approved for three products collected from a single donor (triple product). It is not yet approved as a 7 day product. There is about a 5-6 % decrease in the donors that qualify for giving two or three products at a time. This is because the pathogen inactivation process decreases the platelet count by 5-6%. This means that blood centers will need to replace this number of donors in order to keep up with current product demand. There are some who suggest the platelet efficacy of these products is diminished at as the product approaches day 5. Whether or not this is seen clinically, I do not know but this would have a bearing on whether or not the product will be approved with 7 day out-date labeling, There is a third option that can be entertained by the providers of these products. That is "delayed high volume culturing". This process makes it standard to obtain both aerobic and anaerobic cultures from each product. This process has been used quite successfully in Great Britain to interdict contaminated platelet products. I understand this process would be approved for labeling the product with a 7 day expiration date, without the need for the consignee to do point-of-release testing (Verax). I believe it is important for hospitals to discuss the product desired with their blood supplier. Opening the discussion now will make for an easier transition when the guidance becomes final. We expect to hear from the FDA on this topic later this year.

We used to have Typenex but we removed them since they were causing more problems than anything. We collect two specimens to verify we have the correct patient, if only one sample is drawn, we give group O until we have a second sample collection. We also allow for the use of a hematology specimen to verify our blood type.

We give them the entire unit. Haven't transfused rbcs to an infant here in over 20 yrs. One dose of plasma.