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Twitter: http://twitter.com/transfusionnews

September 15, 2012

Hi all,

TraQ's Sept. newsletter and blog are now available:

Sept. Newsletter: http://goo.gl/rtVV0

Sept. blog: I heard it through the grapevine (Musings on transfusion professionals & Twitter)

For interest, Aug. blog: When sweet dreams become nightmares (Musings on health officials & Big Pharma)

http://goo.gl/C4HCY

Cheers, Pat

Twitter: http://twitter.com/transfusionnews

June 10, 2012

Hi all,

TraQ's latest newsletter and a new TM blog are online.

Blog:

Take a chance on us (Musings on mentoring)

http://tinyurl.com/d3yvvfg

TraQ's May newsletter:

Cheers, Pat

Twitter: https://twitter.com/transfusionnews

http://itunes.apple.com/ca/app/ocd-bloodbanker/id493975110

February 20, 2012

Hi all,

Terry K posted info on the educator's list CLSEDUC about 2 free mobile apps:

OCD bloodbanker:

Hemobioscience:

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/hemo-bioscience/id463637695

HB app is better I suspect (just did a quick tour). Also embarrassing that Ortho misspells Alexander Wiener's name throughout (as 'Weiner').

For interest, last year I wrote 2 blogs on TM apps. The last was "Where's the beef?"

http://traq.blogspot.com/2011/10/wheres-beef-musings-on-2-transfusion.html

Cheers, Pat

February 20, 2012

Deny, Thanks for the encouragement.

Many presumed experts say the ideal blog length is 250-450 words, so mine are away too long. One of these days I hope to experiment with shorter ones and post more often. Appreciate the feedback.

February 19, 2012

Thanks, Likewine. Sure agree about too much time at the computer screen - not enjoyable nor healthy.

Maintaining a blog takes time but it's fun and I'm fortunate to be semi-retired so have more time to get into mischief. <8-)

Cheers, Pat

February 19, 2012

Thanks, Mabel. Didn't know that about AABB not letting institutional members use the forums. Seems counter-productive as few would sign up just for the forums.

Agree that being busy makes participation harder. The bench techs I know hardly have time to do the real work and supervisors are swamped by meetings, e-mail (most of which is clutter), paperwork and HR issues. To go online typically means their days are longer and my experience is that ones who do participate are dedicated and typically give above and beyond.

For interest, with the TM blog on Blogger, you can comment without signing up by choosing the 'anonymous' option.

Thanks again. I enjoy your posts here.

Cheers, Pat

February 15, 2012

My latest TM blog:

Wasted days and wasted nights? (Musings on transfusion professionals use of the Internet)

Blog mentions BloodBank Talk forum....

Cheers, Pat

http://www.quotientbd.com/about/history

February 15, 2012

For interest, Alba Bioscience began in Scotland in the 1940s as part of the Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service to manufacture blood typing reagents and was privatized in 2007.

Quotient Biodiagnostics Group was formed in 2009 to expand Alba's product reach internationally.

http://www.albabioscience.co.uk/en/page/quotient-group

Just for fun, attached is a 2012 price list in Canadian $ (currently ~par with the US $). That's if I managed to attach it. <8-)

No doubt these prices are like hotel 'rack rates' - no one but the naive or desperate ever pays them.

Cheers, Pat

January 24, 2012

Hi all,

My latest "Musings on transfusion medicine" blog:

Stand by me (Musings on bullying by heath professionals)

Cheers, Pat

July 2, 2011

Why would the antibodies be neutralized by the recipient's plasma? I thought the recipient was the one with the antibody!

Oops!

Cheers, Pat

http://tinyurl.com/6d8ygot

June 29, 2011

So would it be correct to assume that when anti-Chido or anti-Rodgers is identified that, for most platelet and plasma transfusions (not 'large volume,' however that is defined), that the antibodies are ignored? And typically, would the antibodies be neutralized by the recipient's plasma, positive for Chido/Rodgers?

FYI:

Mougey R. A review of the Chido/Rodgers blood Group. Immunohematology 2010; 26: 30-38.

June 25, 2011

Brenta,

To my knowledge, various international standards and guidelines all require monitoring before, during, and after transfusion, but none specify specific time frames for during the transfusion, other than for the first 15 minutes (where monitoring should be close), although by 'during' they mean throughout, including after the first 15 minutes.

My guess is that they do not want to handcuff staff by mandating too many specifics for the throughout part and thus leave it to institutions to develop suitable guidelines for when to monitor the 'during' part, after the first 15 minutes.

For reference, TraQ has many excellent nursing resources that you may want to bring to the attention of Nursing at your hospital. They clearly indicate that best practice for throughout does not mean only for the first 15 mins.

TraQ's nursing resources

Cheers, Pat

http://tinyurl.com/3sj2lar

It was just brought to my attention that Nursing in my current Hospital, only monitors trasfusions at the initial 15 mins. (and after the transfusion)....In looking in the Technical Manual, AABB Standards, CAP Checklist, and Circular of Information, ....there are "vague" statements about monitoring throughout the tranfusion (such as the recommendation for periodic observations); but I do not find any place where monitoring after the 15 mins. is "mandated;" nor are there any specific time-frames mentioned....

June 20, 2011

Thanks, Jean. I was away and missed the notice in AABB Weekly Report. Neil Blumberg sent this: http://www.scabb.org/

Appreciate it.

June 19, 2011

Sad news, indeed. Has anyone seen an obituary or other notice? I've searched to no avail. Thanks.

June 7, 2011

Thanks once again, Malcolm. I haven't see one of those for more than 30 yrs. I had not realized capillary tubes were adopted to some extend in the UK. In Canada, only workers in Winnipeg used them, as the "Rh Institute" with Chown & Lewis had great influence.

As it turns out, unlike many of the physicians who developed Canada's fledgling blood system in the 1940s and 50s, Bruce Chown was born a Canadian. Many transfusion specialists were British, since that's where our immigrants mostly came from in the early post WWII years.

June 7, 2011

Thanks, Malcolm.

I figured enzyme-IATs.

For fun, a trip down memory lane....I'm so ancient that when I first started in the mid-60s as a child prodigy at Canadian Red Cross BTS (now Canadian Blood Services) in Winnipeg, Canada, where the BTS was (and still is) a combined blood donor centre and transfusion service for the entire city, we used capillary tubes to determine ABO and Rh groups, but also for antibody screening (IATs, enzymes, saline)

For enzymes, I believe the order was serum, enzyme, rbc suspension, then invert and stick the capillary tube into plasticine on a special box with a back light, let sit, and read with a magnifying glass. Quite often index fingers would get punctured (enough to draw blood) as some cap tubes were jagged. All this a "good grief" to today's workers.

Prehistoric paper by Brits evaluting the capillary method:

Cheers, Pat

June 5, 2011

Thanks, Malcom. See reply to Robina.

About doing an enzyme *panel* with all investigations submitted to your reference lab - I'm curious, as to my knowledge this is not standard practice in Canada (or the USA), where typically enzymes are used when initial panel results are not clear cut.

Why was this implemented, e.g., based on experience, it turned out to save time in the long run? Or you wanted to be sure you had covered all bases when reporting antibodies found? Or?

Thanks.

Cheers, Pat