We have been doing the 2nd draw for a while.
1. Pre-ops we do the day they come in for surgery.
2. Outpatients that are being transfused, we usually give them type O and an immediate spin crossmatch until they come in a second time. If they aren't getting blood, like a pre-natal, we get them when they deliver or wait until they are admitted as a patient.
3. When we get the first specimen and see there is no history, we order another type on them. We always wait though until we have that first tube.
4. yes we require a second draw at a different time. We use both BBID bands and positive patient ID. We let the same phlebotomist draw the second tube since we make them put another sticker from the blood bank band on the tube and use positive patient ID. The phlebotomist don't know when we are going to ask them to draw another tube.
5. If it is a patient that has already gone to the OR, again we will use O blood and do an immediate spin crossmatch.
6. We give platelets on one type since we don't always give type specific.
We have educated the doctors to let them know that we need this second type. Some of the ED docs don't like to wait but usually we try to get the second type before the type and screen is completed on the first specimen.
Kathy Angel