TJC Retention Of Blood Bank Crossmatch Samples Updated

[ChrisH]

Question for those inspected by TJC,

 

If you have a pre admit patient who does not have any antibodies, not been transfused or pregnant in the past 3 months, and you do electric crossmatching you can do the electronic XM past 3 days.  Correct?

 

But if the patient has an antibody (even if they have not been transfused or pregnant in the last 3 months) you can not use the sample past 3 days from collection.  Correct?

 

 

 

http://www.jointcommission.org/mobile/standards_information/jcfaqdetails.aspx?StandardsFAQId=275&StandardsFAQChapterId=104

 

Q: How long do crossmatch samples need to be retained by the blood bank?  

 

A:  Blood banks must retain samples of both the transfused unit(s) and recipient blood for at least seven days following transfusion. Further, guidelines state patient samples for antibody screening and compatibility testing are acceptable to use for a maximum of three (3) days following the date of collection, at which time a new patient sample would be necessary*. As such, a transfusion may be given up to three days after the sample's original collection date.

In order to meet the requirement to retain samples for at least seven days after transfusion, samples would need to be retained for at least 10 days after the original collection date.

*If a patient's history is known and they have definitely not been transfused or pregnant in the preceding three months, protocols can be established for frozen retention of the patient's serum for a longer period.

 

 

[SMILLER]

But this is a response to a question about specimen retention, not specifically whether or not the age of a specimen is appropriate for a particular test.  See the other thread on this subject for other opinions.

 

(Still trying to get a look at the actual JCAHO standards!)

 

Scott

[ChrisH]

I could not find the original thread, so I figured to put the comment here just incase someone who knows may answer. 

[AMcCord]

 

Question for those inspected by TJC,

 

If you have a pre admit patient who does not have any antibodies, not been transfused or pregnant in the past 3 months, and you do electric crossmatching you can do the electronic XM past 3 days.  Correct?

 

But if the patient has an antibody (even if they have not been transfused or pregnant in the last 3 months) you can not use the sample past 3 days from collection.  Correct?

 

 

 

http://www.jointcommission.org/mobile/standards_information/jcfaqdetails.aspx?StandardsFAQId=275&StandardsFAQChapterId=104

 

Q: How long do crossmatch samples need to be retained by the blood bank?  

 

A:  Blood banks must retain samples of both the transfused unit(s) and recipient blood for at least seven days following transfusion. Further, guidelines state patient samples for antibody screening and compatibility testing are acceptable to use for a maximum of three (3) days following the date of collection, at which time a new patient sample would be necessary*. As such, a transfusion may be given up to three days after the sample's original collection date.

In order to meet the requirement to retain samples for at least seven days after transfusion, samples would need to be retained for at least 10 days after the original collection date.

*If a patient's history is known and they have definitely not been transfused or pregnant in the preceding three months, protocols can be established for frozen retention of the patient's serum for a longer period.

 

 

I believe that the highlighted sections do address the question of specimen age for testing.

[SMILLER]

As I think someone already pointed out, the above is in response to a question about specimen retention,

 

Please see the thread in Hot Topics: "Preadmit testing and positive antibody screens".  The actual JCAHO standard regarding specimen acceptability for screening is quoted there.

 

Scott