David Saikin

That's why folks use 'fresh' units and also why irradiated blood gets a shorter outdate than the original (unless the current outdate is less than what you would change it to.

IPDM?

I am working on a system in which the MD documents the need for uncrossmatched product in the medical record. It still takes a phone call but i'm trying to get rid of the paper chase which follows.

Tubes without enhancement is what I have always used. I don't care for the CAP method as it is actually a 1:3 serial dilution vs the 1:2 which has classically been used. (maybe it's ok because the "new" method is read microscopically vs macro read for the classic method).

I agree John. We would informally file the info but never act on it. The only thing I would consider is an antibody ID from one of the teaching hospitals, and even then as a guide, but I would have to respect their id. We also will not accept a specimen not obtained by our organization. We will only accept ambulance specimens if we have a history on the patient. No history, new sample.

That's what I've been doing also. Thanks for the response.

A patient who has been treated w anti-CD38 is no longer having that treatment. Antibody screen is now negative. Is it prudent to continue K typing? Thanks in advance.

No, we did type him as a B and gave him a few B plasmas. However, they wanted blood on the 4th day after admission and that is when we found the unagglutinated cells (which were O Neg).

You change the alarm setting on your refrigerator to alarm just before 2C (2.2 - or whatever you are comfortable with). It doesn't make a difference if you say your refrig never gets to 1C. Even if you have the charts to prove it. If you cannot be warned of an impending out-of-compliance temp you are not in compliance.

I've had scenario a few times in the past. Someone will always come and label an unlabeled tube. I tell them it broke in the centrifute.

Just curious - doesn't your staff have to look at the product they are releasing for transfusion? Did that patient get both of those units or was the 2nd one also given to a O Neg?

We took our old (>20Yrs) ultra centrifuge out of retirement.

I've never saved pickup slips more than a day (have not used one in years). Inventory and blood orders to blood center: never saved Shipping documents/transfers: 10 yrs

years ago my boss got all of us blood bank techs assigned to the same salary scale as the pharmacists (since blood is considered a drug by the FDA). Once again the lab folks were peeved but no one wanted to work in BB. Tertiary care, Very busy.

What do you need to validate? Is it a manual station? Is it a new test system for you? Or just a new workstation?