DeeMc

There are always things that make you scratch your head a bit, that you dare not go above 6o for a second during storage, but that 10o is fine during shipping. Or that you cannot send RhIG through the pneumatic tube because it might be subjected to undue turbulance, but the shipper can kick the hell out of it and throw it in the back of a truck with bad shocks to jiggle along a bumpy road on its way to you.

I have attached what we use... the formatting of the tables did not work well in the post
MTP for pediatric patients.doc

I have attached what we use... the formatting of the tables did not work well in the post
MTP for pediatric patients.doc

From what I understand recipient notification is necessary if a donor has been repeatedly reactive or confirmed positive for  HIV or HCV testing. Our policy also declares we make 3 attempts (via certified mail) to the recipient and the recipient's primary care physician of the exposure. I think there is a time of 8 or 10 weeks to accomplish this.
 
We have a template letter to the MD and a different one for the recipient with check-off boxes of whether it was the 1st, 2nd, or 3rd attempt of notification for HIV/HCV positive testing on the donor.
 
My questions:
1. If recipient is deceased, I read that we need to notify next of kin or legal representative. Is this true for both HIV and HCV??
2. Does anyone notify the recipients physician for positive, confirmed testing for HBV or anything else that your supplier tests for?
 
Just want to make sure we are doing it right.
 
 
 
 

It can be difficult to identify those infants who fall into the categories AABB lists as those that require irradiated products. One of the immune deficiencies encountered in infants is DeGeorge syndrome (an immunodeficiency that often occurs with cardiac anomalies). That diagnosis is not identified immediately upon admission to a NICU or CVICU. My institution has a 98 bed NICU and a 28 bed pediatric CVICU. For patient safety, we irradiate all products for infants in NICU or CVICU regardless of their birthweight. Yes, we do have our own irradiator. We also limit donor exposure by designating a specific unit for a baby and use until its expiration for small volume transfusions. If a large volume transfusion is needed (for OR) a fresh, irradiated unit is selected. And we do give fresh, < 5 day old blood to all cardiac surgery patients < 2 years of age.

It can be difficult to identify those infants who fall into the categories AABB lists as those that require irradiated products. One of the immune deficiencies encountered in infants is DeGeorge syndrome (an immunodeficiency that often occurs with cardiac anomalies). That diagnosis is not identified immediately upon admission to a NICU or CVICU. My institution has a 98 bed NICU and a 28 bed pediatric CVICU. For patient safety, we irradiate all products for infants in NICU or CVICU regardless of their birthweight. Yes, we do have our own irradiator. We also limit donor exposure by designating a specific unit for a baby and use until its expiration for small volume transfusions. If a large volume transfusion is needed (for OR) a fresh, irradiated unit is selected. And we do give fresh, < 5 day old blood to all cardiac surgery patients < 2 years of age.