OR-Documents required to issue blood products

[sunny54]

Hello All,

I need help! Our OR would like to streamline the blood issue process.  We switched to using a blood bank id armband over a year ago but our OR has great difficulty with the issue process.  Currently we require all hospital units including the OR to furnish a copy of the blood product order with the blood bank ID number attached for the blood bank to issue type specific units. The OR usually phones us several times to find out which documents are needed causing a lot of confusion and delays. We are a small hospital  and issue units to the OR only once or twice monthly.   I noticed in the previous thread, "nursing orders to transfuse", that folks treat the OR differently.  Can you share your OR processes with me? I think this may simply be a nursing re-education issue of the current process but I'd be happy to make changes for the OR if there is a better process out there. 

[Mary**]

We created a "Order to Issue" for the OR only, since they don't always give the component if it is issued in a cooler.

[David Saikin]

We only issue for transfusion.  The OR, at a minimum, needs to provide documentation of the pt's name/mr#.  We would prefer to receive a copy of our "Request for blood components" - which they have to bring after the fact if they do not bring it with them.  I do not delay release because all the paperwork is not "handy".  We also have a report which documents the units available but this goes to the pt's nursing station and not to the OR (a vagary of our HIS). 

[sunny54]

Thanks for your input Mary and David!

 

Mary,  Is your form pre-printed with patient name etc. so that it can be completed quickly?  Our OR does not have ready computer access so all forms need to be pre-printed. 

 

David,  I fully agree that there should never be a delay in issuing blood to an OR patient due to paperwork!  That is the conundrum; the risk of patient miss-identification versus a delay in issuing blood to a bleeding patient.  It does seem reasonable to require the blood bank ID number and a name at a minimum and I like the idea of following up with the documents afterward.

 

 

[rravkin@aol.com]

We require a Request for Blood Products document which provides two unique patient identifiers, a date and time of the order and issue, a doctor's or RN's signature and the printed name of the transporter. Upon issue we place a sticker on this document that provides the patient info and the unit number, expiration, and volume of product. This document is required for OR as well as floor issue of products.

Edited August 22, 2013 by rravkin@aol.com

[Mary**]

The form is generated by the hospital HIS computer. A secretary can print it. The OR has gotten used to it after 1 1/2 years!!

[sunny54]

Dear RRavkin,

your request for issue forms appears to serve a request form and a log for the issuance of the product.  I hope to use that type of format in the future when we are no longer paper based and can issue via computer.  Thanks for your input!

[sunny54]

Mary,

 

How was your OR staff educated in using the form?  Our ED department does a really good job of educating throughout the hospital but is pretty challenged when attempting to communicate policy changes to the OR staff.  Any ideas?