RR1

Hi Bill, It is very useful though to get a feel for how staff in other countries are structured. I will put a poll on in the UK forum in next of days. Can you think of specific questions to ask, about 2-4 would be good, and let me know.

Well said Malcolm!!, and what is even worse is when you have to justify everything you do to this person and they still disagree with you or try to 'bend' any interpretation of regulations and standards that you show them!!!!!

Theoretically somebody could use a card up to six times (if this card was used for an 'extra' unit or whatever). As I recall the Diamed analyser ( called Ortho Provue in the U.S- I think), doesnt allow a card to be re-used if spare wells are still available and closed . Would the reason for this be that these have then exceeeded storage temperature by being brought up to 37'C during incubation?? My recollection of the analyser is a bit vague, please feel freee to correct me!

Thanks adiescast for your reply it seems you have a very well planned system in place- I could happily live without a computer for 1hr while this is moved to another server, but thoughts of being possibly days and days without a system gives me sleepless nights!! Also thanks to Steve for clarifying the points.

We always have a sample drawn just moments prior to administering rhogam. Saves time and effort for everyone and is easier to interpret the origin of any anti-D detected in further samples.

Oh...another related question, please could someone explain what the term 'background rules' for a transfusion system would involve, specifically if someone said to you that the background rules of the system were beginning to fail.

Hi Steve, so if your LIMS writes to the hospital sever instead of a 'stand-alone' Pathology server, is this 'mirrored? You also said that you would not lose any historical data, but how about all the current stuff you processed up to the last back-up? i am just trying to get an understanding of how computer systems should be set-up, I don't understand a lot of the IT speak. Thanks!

But who does your lab manager then report to? Thanks!

The is Steve, the information needs to be a formal communication from the company to all users and should be included in the package insert.

Please could you tell me how your computer LIMS systems are managed: 1. If the system server went down, is the information 'mirrored' to another server, so that you can continue using this without any noticeable difference. 2. How often are routine backups of your system made. 3. If your servers all went down, how much information would you lose? Many thanks!

Apart from the monetary issues, the incorrect line management structure of the transfusion lead means that significant problems may not be brought to the attention of the right people (the Pathology Governance/ Hospital board ). To have to go through complex line management structures just makes it even more difficult when trying to make improvements or highlight concerns, especially if any of these managers refuses to take issues seriously. I have recently learnt (and stil am!) how very important it is to have a working management escalation/ communication policy in place, where everybody signs up to their responsibilities, and folk can then be held accountable if they don't act on information given to them, about any problems in the lab that can't be sorted due to lack of resources.

Good on you jcdayaz!!!, that's the spirit. However badly any of us are line managed, we are still ultimately responsible for maintaining patient safety, even if this involves us having to 'fight' to ensure this.

You are very right Yanxia***, we should all smile a bit more. Would be a good New Years resolution for each of us Thank you for your kind words Steve, I love my new avatar too, reminds me of the flowers I usually have on the windowsill in my office .When i'm having a difficult day I spend a few moments contemplating how lovely they look.

Oi ! didn't think I scared everyone when I did this, will have to check. It's purely to keep me calm and only works for short periods.

One I use rather a lot, after taking a deep breath and counting slowly to ten: " these things are sent to try us!". Then smile.

I don't think so!

I agree Malcolm! I would think a vast majority of labs in the UK are structured in this way, and this is possibly what is causing delays with improvements we are all trying to make. It might be useful to add a poll to your question Bill.

I could be using a Svedberg., who knows???, Please explain. Thanks xxx

Thanks Doug, we also have a doc control software, but it's not very good and is basically for loading, unloading documents (but not excel spreadsheets!!!) and reminders. So it really comes down to checking the staff sign sheets at the moment.

Good idea- i'll give this one a go, I'm sure this will go down like a lead balloon when I state this for then ext APR. Only problem we have is that staff reviews are not properly linked to ££ (yet!), so possibly won't work.

So, what if the fetal cells are sensitised with maternal antibody... will this affect the density and therefore position after centrifugation?

I have attached the warning that Immucor have sent about putting whole plates on and passing them repeatedly through the instrument until used. Customers and Distributors information regarding Galileo Germany english.pdf

In my current post a lot of the problems I experienced in the last two years were due to the line management structure. Even though I am the lead in the blood transfusion dept, my operational line manager was a Haematology BMS ( who was also the line manager for the Haematology and Biochemistry leads). Now he has left, I report directly to the Path Services manager, but this will all change back to the original structure when a new OPs manager is employed... so things could deteriorate again in the near future.

Yes....but they're intentionally stupid!!!:tongue::tongue::tongue::tongue::tongue::tongue::tongue: ( Of course the worst thing I have learned is 'Malcolmising' posts with these terrible icons!!!)

I would just like to say thanks to everyone specifically in the UK for joining in this quality area of the forum with their time, knowledge, advice and documents. This area was arranged to help us all keep up with understanding the BSQR improvements that many of us are still struggling with. I have learned a lot during the last 12 months from this site. Please let others know of this forum and encourage them to join in with discussions, and continue the sharing practices. My hopes for 2010?....that more folk from the UK start asking questions and posting topics, so that I don't have to!. I still have a million and one things to learn about quality, but it certainly helps to discuss these with you and our international colleagues- whose input, even in this section has been invaluable and generous too. As the saying goes...the most stupid question is the one that is never asked. Thank you all and have a good Christmas & New year!