John C. Staley

Cliff the Hemo-Temps we use are reversible in different colors as long as the temp is in the acceptable range. Once they have exceeded the acceptable change they stay changed and are not reversible. A couple of years ago I was evaluating different temp monitors and really like the Delta Trak but the corporate team didn't want to change. You may want to look at them. I think they worked very well and were extremely easy to use

I am very much against a Blood Bank specific armband. I am a firm believer that the simpler a process is the more likely it is to be followed. Adding an additional armband only complicates the process. Following the secnod armband logic shouldn't pharmacy have their own armband, the wrong drug can be as bad as the wrong blood? The key is having a clean, simple process where everyone involved understands the what, why, and how of it so they don't get creative. Yes, my glasses are rose colored.

We have been using Immucor's ABS2000 since 1999 and can't imagine life without it. We are looking forward to the next generation coming from Immucor. The Galileo is a little big for us but the new one coming out next year will be a great fit for small to medium facilities. You should be able to get a look at it at AABB this year. And, No I'm not on Immucor's payroll, just know what works for us.

Just wondering why you are considering this? What is the motivation behind this direction? Are you going to be doing it for glucoses on new diabetic patients? That's no less important. On the California Blood Bank Web site there are a couple of extensive discussions on this topic and Suzanne Butch from the University of Michigan added quite a thought provoking statement a few weeks ago. I would suggest going there and reading those posts.

OK, I'm dumb!! What's a Chown tube??

Additional info: Between the positive and negative test results the patient received only 3 RBC units and 1 apheresis plt.

The patient is type B pos, a couple weeks ago they had a positive DAT and antibody screen. The antibody identified was an auto anti-e. Today the antibody screen and the DAT are both negative. Question: Do you continue to provide R2R2 cells?

I don't know what is happening in your part of the world but in my little corner, everytime we turn around the corporation is adding another QA position. We have QA folks in every facility as well as a corporate group for lab general and a second group for transfusion services. Around here you can't swing a cat without hitting QA people standing around watching your every move. Well, maybe not quite that bad but we are sure not seeing any cut back with the QA departments.

We simply keep the written records filed as the original but do not indicate anywhere that the computer information is a "copy". I can't think of a realistic way of doing that even if I wanted to and I can't see a good reason to try.

If you go to Transfusion Services and do a search for "pneumatic tube" you will find to other posts that should answer most of your questions.

We use a commercial Rh control for AB pos patients. After 2 documented tests with negative controls we don't test with the control any longer.

We have 2 racks and the reagents of both racks are tested each day of use. We use both racks M-F, just one on weekends. This is probably the only conservative stance I've ever taken where QC was concerned. I think the question that needs to be asked is "Why are you doing QC?" depending on how you answer that will determine whether or not you QC by the rack or by the lot.

We define "current" as during this pregnancy and we want at least 2 with one during this this pregnancy.

Yes Ellis you are correct. The staff member removes the unit from the refirgerator and writes the patient ID # from the "bag tag" onto the request form in the upper right side. They then compare what they have written with the information on the request form. They also compare the patient's name on the "bag tag" with the name on the form. All of these must be an exact match for the blood to be issued. We use the biologics armbanding system so a lable is made from the patient's armband and stuck to the request form. That is where the patient info is found. This is how we confirm the right unit is being sent to the right patient. Hope this helps. It's much easier to explain when I can do show and tell. If I had a scanner I could show you but I don't. I forgot to mention, it is not unusual for only one sstaff member to be on duty at a given time so this was the solution they came up with and it is working quite well. I monitored every transfusion of 3 months after going live with the tube system. There were no problems so now I monitor every transfusion for 30 days twice each year.

Hi Ellis, I've attached a copy of our "Tubing Blood" sop along with the form we use. Hope they help. If you have any questions let me know. John <admin edit>Product Request Form MK4013-F1v2.doc became corrupt and needed to be removed</edit>

I don't really have hard and fast numbers but let me tell you a little story. About 6 years ago our neonatologist came to us complaining that they were not seeing the expected rise in plt counts after transfusion. At the time we were concentrating (volume reducing) the platelets at their request. We suggested that the process of concentrating the plts was having adverse effects on the poor little plts and they should try transfusing plts straight from the bag with out concentrating. They agreed to try it and much to no one's surprise (at least no one in the trasnfusion service) they began to see the expected increases in post transfusion plt counts. We have never looked back since. We currently provide aliquots for our neonates from AB plt apheresis units and it is working great.

Cliff is this still available? Just found it today and it looks very interesting. Thanks John

We've been using the ABS2000 since Oct. 1999. We would not have been able to survive the past 6 years with out it. Our work load has increased far beyond predictions while our staffing model was forced to stay the same. The ABS2000 made this possible. We currently test 85 - 90% of our Type & Screens on it, to include stats. I am now in the process of trying to justify the Galileo but have heard rumors of a new model targeted to fit between the ABS2000 and the Galileo. Can't wait to see it.

Back in the previous century (1999) we validated Immucor's ABS2000. I've attempted to attach a couple of validation documents hope they attach. If not I'll try again. ABS2000 Verif and Valid blk frm.doc ABS2000 Verification and Validation Report.doc

"The pedi syringe is an unlicensed product therefore the aliquot has a 4 hour expiration." What's being an unlicensed product got to do with it? At a blood bank I used to supervise all of our products were unlicensed becasue we didn't ship interstate. Did the assessor have a reference for you or just something they pulled out of their hat?

We set a 4 hour outdate on the syringes just to be very conservative. We never load the syringe until we receive an order to transfuse. We use syringes that have an inline filter so the nurses don't have to infuse with a filter. We use an SCD to attach the syringe set to the unit and will assign one baby per unit until it is eiather gone or outdates.

I don't recall the exact increases and it varied from reagent to reagent. I just remember that both were extreme but Ortho's was more extreme. Some reagents exceeding 200% increase. We stayed with immucor because we have an ABS2000 and dropped what Othro reagents we could.

We sterile dock a syringe set to the apheresis platelets and add 5ml to what ever the physician orders. Our syringe set includes a built in filter so the nurses don't have to filter again. We keep an irradiated, type AB apheresis on hand at all time for NICU and barring special circumstances, any baby needing platelets dips into it.

Ortho notified us of their price increase long before Immucor did and it was even higher than Immucor. There is not a lot you can do short of turning the clock back 30 years and make your own reagents. I still remember making my own reverse cells and check cells. Work out the best deal you can with one of the two suppliers, what else can you do?

We have a young lady (DOB 1978) we have typed 4 times in the last three years. The first D type was 3+, the second 2+ and the third 2+w, two days ago the ABS 2000 typed her as D negative and a manual repeat found a 1+w on IS and 2+ at AHG. The first three types were manual. All typing was done with either series 4 or series 5 monoclonal anti-D from Immucor and the ABS2000 uses both. The only diagnosis we've had on her is pregnant. We've seen no change in our daily QC for the reagents. Any one have any ideas what's going on here? Thanks John