[The golden rules of Immunohaematology.....]

Hi All,

I have put the Golden Rules of Immunohaematology in a poster (thanks Lisy). I reordered them a little to be in a more logical order but they are as seen earlier in this post.

The is an A3 and an A4 version.

I hope they are useful.

Tim

THANKS TIM...will post it in the lab for you to see the nexy time you visit

[When does the clock start.....]

We are having a little disagreement with our Nursing staff (first time in my 26 years I have heard this). In my 26 years and 6 Institutions, we have always started the clock for the 4 hour transfusion time, from the time we issue the blood from the Transfusion Service. However, our Nursing staff has in their protocol, that the clock starts when the transfusion starts. In looking in the Technical Manual, it just states 4 hours; it does not say at what point that clock starts.

I told the Director and Educator of Nursing that I would "throw the question out" on this website for input. So, I would appreciate your feedback.

Thanks,

Brenda Hutson, CLS(ASCP)SBB

Hi Brenda....

Check the new edition of the TM (16th ed.) under "delay in starting the transfusion", page 617. It was mentioned there that the 4 hour period starts at the time of issue from the blood bank. Hope this helps

[Haemovigilance, Biovigilance, SABRE]

The patient part of the Biovigilance network will start this coming summer of 2009. The other part is donor vigilance and later I think will include tissues. See link below.

http://www.cdc.gov/nhsn/bio.html

Also another website that you might be interested in is the International Haemovigilance Network (previously known as European Haemovigilance Network). In their website, you will the haemovigilance programs and reports of european countries as well as non european to include Australia, New Zealand and Singapore.

www.ehn-org.net

Hope this helps.

It would be nice to here from folk of the types of serious events they are currently reporting to SABRE, we know that most of us are under reporting events.....but this is probably due to not having clearer reporting guidelines- something which I am sure will improve soon.

SABRE (serious adverse events and reactions) is the MHRA (FDA equivalent body) mandatory reporting system used in the UK, that all hospital blood banks and establishments have to report blood related problems to (since Nov 2005)

I gather that in the U.S. an equivalent 'biovigilance system' has been introduced. It would be useful to know the type of data this system will be recording, and any information given to staff as to the type of reactions/ events required to be reported.

[platelet washing procedure for NAIT patient]

HELLO!

Anyone familiar with the procedure for washing apheresis platelet units? We have tried doing it using the COBE cell processor several times BUT the post counts were not acceptable and after the wash, platelet aggregates form at the bottom of the bag.

Thanks

[use of BLOODLOC]

Just want to ask for any feedbacks or comments from those who are using/used Bloodloc (Novatek Medical, Greenwich, CT). Thanks.

[Gmail account]

Are there still gmail accounts available? Would like to have one. thanks