[Label Recheck Documentation Transfusion Service]

Does anybody know if SoftBank has a way to verify labels?

[Storage vs. Shipping/ Validation]

We validate our Igloo Playmate coolers twice a year and we do it in the Blood Bank.

On another note, I have recently heard that FDA considers coolers going to OR as storage and as such they have to be monitored every four hours. Has anyone else heard that? does that mean that coolers can only be out up to 4 hours unless they have some way of being monitored continuously? would we have to check on the blood every 4 hours if not? Since it is storage, does the blood also have to be maintained at 1-6C?

[Training For New Techs]

May I have copies too, thanks! junio59@yahoo.com

[Anti A,B usefulness]

Human source ABO reagents have not been available in the US market for several years. Currently, there are reagents that are just a mixture of anti-A and anti-B, some that contain anti-A,B in addition to anti-A and anti-B and some that are actually anti-A,B. Check the direction insert of the reagent to find out which one you are using.

[electronic crossmatch]

I have recently joined an institution that does electronic x-matches. Specimens for blood bank are witnessed by a second person that also verifies patient ID. If there is not a previous blood type on the patient a retype is done on the same sample; only after the second type is done are patients with no history of antibodies candidates for electronic crossmatching.

[Daily quality control]

I look forward to seeing some clarification on this issue. If CLIA wants QC to test the limits of the reagent, we aren't meeting that either, since we do not dilute antisera or use weak cells to challenge the reagent in our ABO/Rh QC.

Thanks for your response!

Testing the limits of the reagent would include testing it against cells with the weakest expression of the corresponding antigen, however, it would not include diluting the reagent since they are not routinely used diluted, doing so would be not following manufactures' directions.

[neonatal quandary]

I also worked with a very good blood bank pathologist who was not afraid to do things out of the ordinary and when it came to it, he always said: "halitosis is better than no breath"

[antibody titers on OB patients]

Does anybody run a standard in parallel with the titer? Our procedure calls for running an in-house standard any time we do an antibody titer in addition to running the previous sample. Does anyone else do this?

[Communication in the blood bank]

Same here. We have a log book that techs are required to read each shift but do not have to sign. We also have a white board in the lab.

[Reagent red cell manufacturer]

I don't think that has anything to do with product stability. I know for a fact that Immucor had problems in the past with hemolysis during summer months due to the heat. The cooler packs may just be their way of preventing that.

[Reagent red cell manufacturer]

From what I understand it is the same manufacturer, but now they also have a distributor selling reverse cells, screening cells (two and three cells), Coombs control cells, the panel and a QC kit

[Leucopoor red cells]

I wish we could do that, but our supplier charges more for leukoreduced units, so it is not an option.

[Leucopoor red cells]

I have no idea, I am trying to get rid of that policy and not having much luck. It was implemented by the previous blood bank supervisor who now happens to be the lab director. :-(

[Reagent red cell manufacturer]

We have been approached by a reagent red cell manufacturer called Medion diagnostics, their products are FDA approved and their pricing is better than Ortho's and Immucor's. I was told that they are the people from Dade. Is anyone familiar with them?

[Leucopoor red cells]

The transfusion service where I work sets up leucopoor units on females under 50 to prevent CMV. Is anyone else doing this?

[Anti-D due to antepartum RHIG]

If we identify and anti-D in a mom and we are able to verify that she received RhIG recently, we report out the results as : "Anti-D probably due to RhIG received on xxxx(date)"

[RHo Control for AB Rho Pos Patients]

We use a saline control

[QC of "rare" antisera]

We are currently running controls with every patient we type or every batch of units we screen. I have worked in three other labs where controls were run once on the day of use only. I anyone else running controls with every test?

[Survey / Inspection / Assessment preparation]

In addition to all the good things Elaine suggested I will also take the "check list" and note all the applicable SOPs for each question. That way I can get to the references immediately and not fumble around. I've fumbled around and it is not fun. I always hated telling an inspector/assessor; "I know it's here somewhere!!" As far as preparing the staff, I just tell them it is business as usual, answer any questions in a freindly yet short and consise manner and for heavens sake don't do more than just answer the question. If yes or no works use them.

I agree with this suggestion. Last year when were inspected by CAP, I downloaded the CAP checklist and added the applicable SOPs, as a reference, to each question. When the inspector came in, I handed the checklist with the references to him, this way he knew exactly where to go if he had a question. It worked great.

[Horizon Blood Bank software]

Is anyone familiar with the Horizon Blood Bank software?. I have joined a blood bank that has pretty much decided to buy it, but I don't know much about it. Any information will be greatly appreciated.

[Prophylactic antigen typing]

If the patient has an antibody and they are found to be R1R1 or R2R2, we match the Rh. :-(

[Bacterial Detection Method]

I recently joined an institution that relies on the blood center using the swirl technique: we are not AABB, but the CAP checklist does not say this is not acceptable. As a matter of fact, they were inspected by CAP last year and did not have that counted as a deficiency. However, I contacted CAP and was told that the new checklist will have a revision of the question of testing for bacterial contamination and the swirl technique will not be acceptable.