[Transfusion of Apheresis Platelets]

We try to get ABO specific PLA's for adults; if not, we go with what we can get. There is no testing ABO isoagglutinins. We do not do infants.

[New computer systems]

Our institution is looking for a new HIS. Unsure at this time what it will be.

[Survey for Transfusion Services – What computer system?]

We use MediWare Hemocare in the blood bank . The hospital system is CPSI.

[pH/Glucose Test Strip]

Thanks . . . I appreciate it.

[Where to go from here?]

Is your titer a cold titer? If not, do you know what the titered ab specificity is? My impression was that there is a cold in there, which you seem to have demonstrated. Did prewarming remove any of those microscopic reactions? Was the patient recently exposed to anything like HES?

Now that iit is a week plus since your post, a new specimen might provide clearer information.

Good luck . . . post up your final results . . . I'm certain they will be of interest to all of us.

[pH/Glucose Test Strip]

I would really appreciate it if someone would explain to me the criteria being used to demonstrate bacterial contamination using the urine test strips? Thanks in advance.

[Rh and K phenotyped units for women of child bearing age]

This is not SOP as far as I know . . . decades ago we used to type prenatals for "c", but this is no longer routine either.

[Weak D testing]

I would like to upgrade to the latest AABB standards . . . this is being discussed by the Medical staff at this time.

[Providing antibody information to patients]

I provide a blood type card with the antibody(ies) identified and the date.

[Microscopes in the Blood Bank]

I think I responded to this on the AABB website, however . . . I think this depends on the training and comfort level of the techs. At my small institution we use the microscope routinely. The reason being all the techs are generalists. I have met very few technical personnel who can competently call w+ reactions macro. Granted, most reactions of this strength are not clinically significant, but THEY CAN BE. I would rather have my staff find all that they can. IF this turned out to be a big problem, i.e., over-reading, I might change my tune, but it is not.

[Intro]

Hello - I'm Dave Saikin in Littleton, NH. I'm enjoying the ambiance of a 40 bed facility after being in 700+ tertiary care and 400+ acute care facilities. When I'm not doing blood or assessments or inspections, I try to play guitar in a jazz trio, or watch my daughter's hs bball team, or read. I'm looking forward to the sharing of ideas these venues allow, esp being out of the blood bank loop, so to speak.