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Retention of blood bank crossmatch samples


lmeduran

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We extend our samples for 14 days for surgeries. We don't freeze, but we do antibody screening on day one, and on the day of the surgery make the patient sign a waiver stating they have not been transfused within the last 3 months (or been pregnant if a female). If the patient has an antibody, we require a fresh specimen within 72 hours of the surgery. If the patient has no antibody or a history of an antibody, we do electronic crossmatches. Since we do electronic crossmatches, the specimen itself is not used past day 1.

BC

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We don''t use special blood bank bands. When they present for presurgery workup, they are banded at that time. They are rebanded when they present for surgery. Registration personnel are responsible for IDing the patient and placing the armband on. So, patient ID is never an issue.

BC

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We also have a form they sign that says they haven't had any blood in 3 months.

We use a 2nd BB wristband. For the pre-ops we have the phlebotomist get a copy of a patient photo ID. The phlebotomist completes the wristband and labels the specimen. The band does not go on the arm. We send the band, photo id and copy of a form the patient signs to the surgery dept. The nurses in surgery put the band on when the patient comes in for surgery.

This works well for us.

Linda

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I couldn't find an electronic copy, but here is the guts of our waiver:

MALE PATIENT 14-DAY SURGERY SPECIMEN WAIVER

I, _______________________ hereby verify that I have not been transfused with blood or blood components in the last 3 months.

Signed _____________________________

Date _______________________________

Witness ____________________________

FEMALE PATIENT 14-DAY SURGERY SPECIMEN WAIVER

I, _______________________ hereby verify that I have not been transfused with blood or blood components in the last 3 months, nor have I been pregnant within the last 3 months.

Signed _____________________________

Date _______________________________

Witness ____________________________

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  • 14 years later...

My question is concerning pre-surgery outpatient blood bank ID. We currently put an ID band on the patient (3 days) before surgery and ask that the patient leave the band on until they return for surgery. Many times the patient removes the ID band and we must re-do the work up stat before surgery. I see that a few hospital labs do not have the patient leave a wrist band on. How are most of you doing pre-surgery patient ID? I really want a positive ID method that would allow the patient to remove the band after the initial draw.

 

 

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When we started extending, the patient had to provide the mother’s maiden name when collected and when returning. We had that documented on our paperwork along with the no pregnancy/transfusion in three months information  The extending and not requiring the bracelet to be worn continuously  had to be approved by the Transfusion Committee and that was what the doctors approved.   When we went to the electronic crossmatch that required a second type, we would check when we did the pre-admit work-up and order a second type for day of admit and attach a note on the chart for pre-admit to collect a type when the patient returned. 

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Our PAT specimens are good for 14 days. The patients sign a pregnancy/transfusion statement when the PAT specimen is collected. If they don't answer NO to both questions, no PAT collection. The phleb signs as a witness.

We use a FinalCheck armband system for Blood Bank specimens. When the PAT specimen is drawn the patient is wearing an outpatient hospital band with name, MR#, BD for positive patient ID. We assign a Blood Bank armband to the patient and label it with that patient ID information from the OP band. An ID sticker from the BB armband is placed on the patient specimen and on a PAT ID card. The PAT ID card is an 8.5 x 11 inch sheet of card stock that is fluorescent yellow. It says in a LARGE font that the patient must bring the card with them the day of surgery and present it to their admitting nurse and it tells the nurse to call lab. The card also tells the patient that failure to return the ID card means we redraw the patient and retest, possibly delaying surgery. We put the card in an official hospital folder and instruct them twice on the importance of bringing the card/folder back.  The specimen, the preg/transfusion statement form and the specimen come to Blood Bank.

Once we get the call from Pre-Op we take the preg/transfusion statement form and the appropriate armband to Pre-Op to ID the patient verbally and with their hospital band, then apply the BB band. The patient then signs the PAT card and that signature is verified with the signature on the preg/transfusion statement form. We used to use a pocket sized PAT ID card, but discovered that about half the patients forgot to bring them back the day of surgery even though they had received verbal instructions twice the day the specimen was drawn and were reminded during their Pre-OP call from surgery. With the large electric yellow form very few patients forget to bring them back. We feel this gives us solid patient ID without asking the patient to wear an armband.

 

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