sshel55

Quarterly I run a query that identifies donors who are filter failures (donor comment triggers an attribute for subsequent donations). If they fail x 2 then they are contacted by an MD and either enouraged to switch to apheresis platelet donations or deferred. Some sickle trait donors may eventually filter but in our experience they almost always fail the WBC count if tested. We are also a 100% LR facility. This is actually difficult because we support a large group of sickle cell patients and perform RBC exchanges. If a pt develops a blood group antibody we provide complete antigen matched RBC so losing black donors to filter failures is impacting our ability to provide antigen matched units in some cases. Also, one of our U- donors has sickle trait so there goes a rare unit.

I would like to add that there are still some really excellent SBB programs out here that will provide an outstanding learning experience and environment to help prepare you for the examination. You may certainly prepare for the exam by either studying independently or participating in an on-line program. All these options are excellent for some people. However, there are those who really need the structure and support that is provided by an SBB program. In our program you have class every Wednesday, you have regular exams with feedback from the instructor and you design and manage a research project. You get experience writing and submitting papers for publication and you get experience with public speaking. Of course you may have to sacrifice some for the 12 months you are enrolled in the program but at the end you will have knowledge and experience that is hard to match. Obviously we can't guarantee that you will pass the exam on the first try, but our total pass rate is 100% over the past 5 years. If you are interested in more information please e-mail our SBB education coordinator, Karen Byrne. kbyrne@cc.nih.gov Sherry Sheldon, MT(ASCP)SBB Supervisor and SBB Program Director NIH Clinical Center Department of Transfusion Medicine Bethesda, MD 20892-1184 ssheldon@cc.nih.gov