How big of an issue is OR compliance? Who is in charge of compliance?

[studenttttttt]

I'm just a student so I've never been outside the lab at a mid-sized hospital.  But just wondering how big of an issue is OR compliance, and what exactly are the recurring issues of non-compliance, if there are any?  

Is there some kind of compliance or QA officer who watches the entire transfusion? How is compliance being measured and monitored?

[John C. Staley]

Just out of curiosity, what prompted this question? 

In my experience most facilities have a Risk Management Department which is usually headed and staffed with nurses.  They would be most interested in any noncompliance in the facility.  

[studenttttttt]

Was reading in another thread that nurses or doctors were transfusing blood products left out for more than the allowed time, and other minor things that might raise an eyebrow. I was wondering how or even if the lab supervisor was involved in incidences of noncompliance or how these things are found out.

[SMILLER]

20 hours ago, studenttttttt said:

Was reading in another thread that nurses or doctors were transfusing blood products left out for more than the allowed time, and other minor things that might raise an eyebrow. I was wondering how or even if the lab supervisor was involved in incidences of noncompliance or how these things are found out.

In general, here the anesthesiologist is responsible for transfusions during major surgeries.  A tech or nurse would do the documentation in OR.

When all areas used transfusion forms that were attached to the units, regardless of where they were transfused, copies of those tags were sent back to the BB.  We reviewed them for completeness and anythin g else that may have been missed, such as a raise in temp, and then sent the reports back to the managers in charge of those associates for comments and corrections.  I believe the deficiency statistics were reported to the transfusion committee.

Now the transfusion vitals, etc. are put right on the electronic chart.  Deficiencies are almost non-existent as the system alerts the person entering data when something is amiss.

Scott