Victoria T.

No, the manual doesn't give a recommendation for how often to check the cell button, etc., and neither does the Technical Manual. However, the Technical Manual recommends checking the fill level daily and the dispense volume weekly.

Do you do this daily?

We are using a Sorvall Cellwasher 2. We do a daily check for fill levels by visual inspection, and weekly measure the dispense volume (as well as daily and weekly cleaning). RPMs, timer checks, and electrical checks are done quarterly by Bio Med. The AABB recommends checking resuspension of the red cell button, dryness of the cell button, and inspection of the size of the cell button after saline is dispensed. There is no recommendation for how often this should be done. Their procedure requires that tubes are placed all 12 slots. Is anyone doing this, and, if so, how often?

I am a little late jumping into this discussion, however, this caught my eye as we also were inspected by the CAP in June, and were cited for this as well (TRM.41650). A section giving the signs and symptoms of a transfusion reaction and how to proceed should one occur is (and has always been) part of the transfusion form which accompanies each unit signed out of the blood bank. Also, these signs and symptoms are included in nursing orientation and are part of the nursing patient care policy for blood transfusion. However, our surveyor said that this did not satisfy the intent of the question. There must be a routine periodic inservice for all nurses. Our response to this citation was to immediately re-inservice nursing staff for signs and symptoms of a transfusion reaction, and to add the requirement for periodic inservice to the nursing patient care policy. We sent agendas for inservices given at that time and a copy of the modified nursing policy to CAP.

I'm wondering if quarterly QC sufficient? Shouldn't each unit reinfused have some QC? Victoria T.