MAGNUM

we rarely perform this procedure. I have been in my present position of about 15 years, and we have only performed the exchange 3 times. since we are a level 3 NICU, we are the ones that get these babies.

I review units every day, looking them up in Meditech could not be easier

The patient gets billed, even though we can make the case for unnecessary testing.

We used to perform only those cords from O mothers, Rh negative mothers, and mothers with significant antibodies. The optimal phrase is used to. We had a neonatologist that pitched a fit and went to administration, and long story short we now do ALL cord bloods.

You could just southern engineer a probe with a diluent pickup probe and some flexible tubing from your hematology department. In fact the some hematology analyzers have a diluent pickup that is exactly like that, they even have a metal band on the end to keep it at the bottom of the cube of diluent.

New account number, new visit, new type and screen.

I have had mine for about 6 or 7 years, and have always used deionized water. Plus I drain and refill monthly unless it needs to be done more often.

Another vote to do a short and sweet validation, better safe than a deficiency later on an inspection.

immucor gives you a wonderful validation guide and forms for your validation, guess they want to reduce the headaches.

we use the tried and true method that we have always used, paper 2 part tag attached with a plastic attaching device that cannot be removed without cutting or breaking.

When I do an antigen typing on a patient that also has a crossmatch, I crossmatch the units at the same time as I do my Antigen typing

What about the testing required for the crossmatch?

same here Malcolm

everyone should think about how important this is, rechecks and everything. case in effect the nurse in the London Heart Hospital whose patient died because of a unit of incompatible packed cells.

This is the same policy that we follow, although we do allow the patient physician to check also. Plus, I only allow RN's, MD's, and the anesthesia techs from the Heart OR to pick it up, in my opinion if they can't transfuse it they should not pick it up (minus the anesthesia techs).