QC on Multiple Racks

[Everett9239]

Here in our blood bank we use three racks of reagents daily (we run 4 active benches, one of which does phones, issuing and paperwork while 3 do benchwork).  At this point in life, we QC each rack daily.  There has been some discussion of QC-ing only one rack and have it be a lot QC program, and just making sure that every rack has the same lot.  How does everyone else handle this?

[goodchild]

That's what we do. We rotate which rack is QCd every week. The QC tech (night shift) pulls every rack and checks the reagent fridge to find out in use, or potentially in use lots, and documents/verifies them on our reagent QC worksheet and makes sure QC is performed for everything.

 

First, who are you accredited by and what state are you in?

I would check their requirements, someone had a post recently that described state laws requiring each reagent vial being QCd (ridiculous).

[Everett9239]

We are AABB and CAP accredited.  We do not have any state laws that govern us in Illinois.

[goodchild]

AABB doesn't require each vial/rack to be tested.

CAP specifically says testing one vial of a particular reagent lot is acceptable under TRM.31400.

[Cliff]

Are you accredited by The Joint Commission?  If yes, each vial each day of use.

[David Saikin]

You could have a rack in continuous use for extended periods of time . . . I don't care what the regulations allow, I feel that good practice demands that each rack in use be qc'd each day of use.  My personal bias.

[Eagle Eye]

Can you have fewer rack in use and let techs share same rack? It all depends on the usage & workload. We have ProVue and Gel station. We have only two sets open for Gel station and one set for tube and the gel rack stays in fridge most of the time as we hardly run any test by manual gel.

ALl techs shares tube rack and so far no complains...

[goodchild]

Are you accredited by The Joint Commission?  If yes, each vial each day of use.

 

Are you TJC accredited Cliff? How do you track this for documentation's sake? Give each reagent a suffix on arrival and track them on a spreadsheet?

[tbostock]

 

Are you accredited by The Joint Commission?  If yes, each vial each day of use.

 

I am TJC accredited: can you provide the regulation Cliff?

[Dansket]

You could have a rack in continuous use for extended periods of time . . . I don't care what the regulations allow, I feel that good practice demands that each rack in use be qc'd each day of use.  My personal bias.

 

I agree with David.  Theoretically, testing one vial of each lot each day should be sufficient.  However, it would not detect a vial  from a non-QC'ed rack that had been mishandled or inadvertantly contaminated during usage.