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Softlab/SoftBank Blood Banding


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Can someone who uses softbank tell me how they control patients arm bands?  Who cuts them off and and how do they know when to cut them off?  Currently we have a sql report that goes out to nursing units and it displays patients that expire that day (however the time is not specific). Therefore, I have nurses cutting off bands before they are really past the 72 hour window which runs us into problems.  Anyone have a good system that works for them??? Thanks!

 

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Yes, we have SoftBank and we got rid of our bands because of the reason you mention and many others.  It became more trouble than it was worth.  When we got SoftBank, we went to electronic crossmatching, which requires two separately drawn blood types before non-type O blood can be issued.  We also implemented barcode scanning at bedside for patient ID when drawing samples.  So we felt that those two additional safety measures were enough reason to feel comfortable about removing the bands.  Our error rates are lower than ever and we'll never look back.

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It is the responsibility of the laboratory phlebotomy staff to monitor and remove outdated blood bands.  I ask them to check every patient they draw each day for a blood band.  If present, then check the specimen collection date on the blood band.

 

Count 4 days (specimen collection date as day zero).  If day 4 is today or in the past, band is outdate and must be removed.

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isn't the blood good on your day 4 (which is really day 3 if draw day is day "0" and the blood is good for 3 days . . .

No, we follow AABB Standard 5.13.3.2 "...a sample shall be obtained from the patient within 3 days of the scheduled transfusion. Day 0 is the day of draw." Day zero=calendar day 1, Day one=calendar day 2, Day two=calendar day 3 and Day three=calendar day 4. Day four would be calendar day 5. Blood is good for 4 calendar days, not 5.

Stated another way, The blood sample is not one day old on the day of draw. It does not become one day old until the second calendar day of its existence. Blood may be transfused on calendar day 1,2,3 and up to midnight of calendar day 4.

Edited by Dansket
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