We as a lab used to use the FreshLoc system, but found that it was too unreliable for our puposes. In fact I had a CAP surveyor ask me if I would rather remove it from her sight and only use thermometer temps or receive a deficiency because the temperature system "missed" temperatures. 

No we do not, unless the nurse absolutely demands that we do it. At that point we will use just regular biohazard bags.

 

When I started here a few years back, we were repeating the ABSC along with performing the Fetal Screen. I have since with the blessing of our Medical Director done away with the second ABSC.

Helmer 900h. Small with 5 shelves. As a matter fact, I have nearly converted all the old equipment to Helmer, they are too reliable not to. 

We keep our units sitting up for the obvious reason of space limitations, and all the other reasons quoted before.

 

The other Scott

We instituted the practice of retyping the patients if their histories could not be proven. To do so, we instituted the practice of performing the retypes on a different specimen collected at a different time within the previous 24 hrs or within 1 hr of the blood type verification in the LIS. The histories are checked on every patient in the blood bank, if they do not have a historical type, the phlebotomist is sent to the patient room to collect a new lavender top tube. It does not matter the type of the patient, if they have no history, they get retyped. This practice ties into CAP TRM.30575. We have actually "caught" incorrect collections by the RN's that collected the incorrect patient and labeled the specimen with the wrong patient information.

This is our practice and we are sticking to it!

 

The other Scott

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

6 hours ago, AuntiS said:

Just curious... how does that work in the US? Who pays for the testing on the cord blood that you would not normally have tested but now must because of that neonatologist?  Does the patient get billed?

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.

1 hour ago, David Saikin said:

i believe the instructions specifically say not to use deionized/distilled water.

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?

On ‎2‎/‎14‎/‎2017 at 8:52 AM, Malcolm Needs said:

An excellent post JHH1999, however, if I made the cake today, with milk that had a use by date of tomorrow, there would be grave doubt as to whether the cake would be edible today, let alone in a few days time!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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.

On ‎2‎/‎14‎/‎2017 at 7:15 AM, BankerGirl said:

This subject came up recently at our facility and it was decided by our Patient Safety Committee, of which I am a member, that the co-signer would need to be qualified to administer blood.  This means, RNs, Perfusionists and Anesthesiologists.  The thought process was that if the co-signer is not qualified to administer blood, then they would not be knowledgeable enough to know exactly what they were verifying.

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).

We do not, not a true antibody.

I think that it is a piece of expensive junk. I am trying to get our biomed to kill it so that I can order a helmer washer.  I have already gotten a quote and it is actually cheaper to go with the Helmer rather than the Sorvall, and the Helmer is a much better quality instrument.

Same here as Jeanne. I order a "baby unit" from our supplier, and they sterile dock 6 aliquot bags to the mother unit. If I find that I will not be using the unit for babies, at 14 days I remove the aliquot bags and transfer it to my stock to be used for adults.

used to use them, but too big a pain in the keister. they have to be activated to 38 prior to use to activate the irreversible "flower". I now use the digitrax bt-10.