mollyredone

Terri, so do you still calibrate the thermometers in the fridges annually? I don't think we are getting rid of them, or the chart wheels, just using that as our validation for the thermometers. Does that sound like it will pass inspection?

I was wondering if anyone else is using a company called Isensix. It's an advanced remote monitoring system for temperature. We just got it installed on all our refrigerators and freezers, including our platelet rotator. It has an automatic alarm system, as well as a constant monitoring system and is serviced once a year by an outside company who verifies the thermometers. My lab director thinks this will take the place of yearly thermometer calibration for these units and it looks like it does to me as well. We still have heat blocks to verify annually, but this looks great!

"I use my 3 times yearly Automated Transfusion Survey specimens (5 specimens X 3 times/year), record the results from the Echo on a Yearly Method Correlation form I cobbled together and then test the same specimens on both tubes (all ABORhs) and 2 ABSCs and on manual Capture (3 ABSCs) - our two bench methods - and record on same form. Seems to work OK and is easy to document." :cool: I would love to see someone's SOP and form as well! I'm newly in charge of blood bank, and we don't have a procedure for this CAP requirement yet, so I'd like to get one in place before we get inspected again! My email is mariliddle@chiwest.com. Thanks!

"I have a pdf of the SBB review from AABB Miami 2007. I can email it to anyone who would like it." Barbara Barbara, I would love to have a copy of that PDF file as well, if you still have it! My email is mariliddle@chiwest.com Thanks so much!

Thanks, Mabel!

I just had pharmacy come over and ask me if I knew anything that could help with an overdose of Pradaxa, since physicians are asking them. Has anyone had this question posed to them? What are your thoughts on this? TIA, Mari

I worked at St. John's before transferring out to Mercy in Roseburg, Oregon 1-1/2 years ago. It was a great hospital, but it will not be rebuilt there. From talking to some other lab techs there, they are working out of trailers in the parking lot. It will be a year at least before they have a permanent home. I read that article as well, and it really gives you a personal insight.

Thanks, Bill! That does make sense. Is there anything written in CAP regs or AABB?

Thanks Malcolm! Guess I won't be doing any housekeeping on that for a while!

Is there a time limit on how long you have to keep paperwork on patients who have antibody workups after they are deceased? Thanks, Molly

Our system prints out labels to attach to the unit, and has a separate attached slip that is a "Unit Ready" slip. That slip gets sent to the floor. The nurse brings that down with her/him (edited to be politically correct with gender!) It has all the info on it: unit #, type, patient name, DOB, MR#, BB band #. If they don't bring that down with them, we ask for a demographic label with the blood bank band # written on it.

Thanks a lot Phil! Will there be a printed reference for that to follow?

I was wondering about the "legality" of Ag charges. If you type 10 units and find 5 negative for the ag; but the patient only needs 2 units, do you just charge typing for the 2 Ag neg units they need? What about the other units that are negative? Can you charge them to another patient that needs that same Ag negative unit? Any references stating what charges you can take? Thanks, Mollyredone

Everyone loves the chart. We had it laminated! Molly

I took Jimmy up on his HemoBioscience chart and received it today. Thanks so much! mollyredone

Thanks, Malcom! I knew I could count on you! We have increased our standard holding of irradiated PRBCs due to more oncology patients and doctor requests, but don't really deal with baby problems...they get shipped to someplace better! Mari

Hello all! I am being re-introduced to blood bank after being out of a hospital setting for 20 years! I'm loving gel cards! My question is regarding irradiated vs leukoreduced vs CMV negative PRBCs. Somewhere in my wanderings on the net, I'm not sure if it was this forum or not, I thought I read that irradiated PRBCs were considered to be equal to CMV negarive PRBCs. Does anyone have any references stating this or refuting this? TIA Mari