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To Assess or Not


EAB81

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I really enjoy blood bank and all the crazy stuff that goes along with it, but I want to learn more than just my scope of the BB Supervisor at the local hospital. Someone recommended to me that I should become an assessor. Does that sound like a good idea because they would train me? I'm not sure I meet all the qualifications from what I've looked at. For those who are assessors, former assessors, etc. ,  what can you tell me? TIA

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Do you have a BS?  I would say go for it.  AABB does provide training (they used to anyway).  If you go that route just remember that there are many ways to "skin the cat".  Be open-minded but at the same time understand what the standard(s) is trying to convey.  I don't know that being an inspector/assessor can help you understand all the "crazy stuff" you might encounter in the BB.  It helps to be well-grounded in the basics of Immunohematology and an awareness that there's a whole lot of stuff that occurs rarely.  This chat room is a great place for learning and answers (from a host of contributors).

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To be an assessor for AABB, you have to currently work at an AABB accredited facility and be an individual AABB member as well.  If you meet these requirements and you meet the experience requirements, you can apply to be an assessor.  It is a big commitment, but well worth it!  They expect you to make a real effort to attend the assessor day training each year at the AABB annual meeting and to accept and complete a minimum of 2 assessment assignments each year.  If you have to miss the annual meeting for whatever reason, they do allow you to make it up with on-line training, but it's required that you get your initial 2 day "new assessor" training and preferred that you get your subsequent annual assessor training at the face-to-face annual meeting each year.    

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On ‎08‎/‎16‎/‎2019 at 12:29 PM, David Saikin said:

Do you have a BS?  I would say go for it.  AABB does provide training (they used to anyway).  If you go that route just remember that there are many ways to "skin the cat".  Be open-minded but at the same time understand what the standard(s) is trying to convey.  I don't know that being an inspector/assessor can help you understand all the "crazy stuff" you might encounter in the BB.  It helps to be well-grounded in the basics of Immunohematology and an awareness that there's a whole lot of stuff that occurs rarely.  This chat room is a great place for learning and answers (from a host of contributors).

I do have a BS. This forum has already been tremendously helpful! Thanks!

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17 hours ago, sgoertzen said:

To be an assessor for AABB, you have to currently work at an AABB accredited facility and be an individual AABB member as well.  If you meet these requirements and you meet the experience requirements, you can apply to be an assessor.  It is a big commitment, but well worth it!  They expect you to make a real effort to attend the assessor day training each year at the AABB annual meeting and to accept and complete a minimum of 2 assessment assignments each year.  If you have to miss the annual meeting for whatever reason, they do allow you to make it up with on-line training, but it's required that you get your initial 2 day "new assessor" training and preferred that you get your subsequent annual assessor training at the face-to-face annual meeting each year.    

Looking closely at it, I do meet all the requirements. I don't think the commitment will be a problem at all. I haven't quite decided to do it for sure, but I so appreciate your input.

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On ‎8‎/‎20‎/‎2019 at 8:47 PM, Cliff said:

It's not for everyone.  I did it for a couple of years and did not like it at all.  That was about 20 years ago.  I have never felt compelled to go back and do it again.

What didn't you like about it, if I may ask?

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15 minutes ago, EAB81 said:

What didn't you like about it, if I may ask?

I was new to my compliance officer job.  I was hoping to learn more than teach.  I assessed one organization that almost made me cry.  I asked for anything from section 1 in Standards, they had nothing.  I asked for training documents, they gave me beautiful blank ones, but none that were completed for any staff.  The whole assessment went like that.  I went to lunch and was so overwhelmed with a sense of doom for them, I almost wanted to leave.  Most of the places I went were similar.

I stopped as it was just too draining on me.

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