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Infrared Thermometers


CSP0102

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Does anyone use Infrared thermometers for checking the temp of a unit of blood when returned to the Blood Bank?  If so what are the pros and cons and what brand do you use?

Thanks for your help.  We are struggling with how to handle returned units.  Currently we are using a 30 min rule and a Safe-T-Vue 10.  Our SOP states that if the unit comes back in under 30 min we return it to inventory even if the Safe-T-Vue is red. I struggle with this since we don't know what happened to that unit while it was out of the Blood Bank and the manufacturer states not to inventory it. Our units are sent out with a gel cold pack so 30 min is not unreasonable but I don't see putting it in inventory if the Safe-T-Vue is red.  HELP

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I was told that unless a time out of the Blood Bank has been validated, we can't use time as an indicator of whether or not a unit is acceptable for re-issue. Only temperature can be used. If the unit is being transported within the facility, this is still considered "storage" and the upper level allowable would be 6 degrees, not 10 degrees. We attach Hemo-temps (switching to Safe-T-Vue 6 once validated) to the units as well as checking the temp when it returns. The indicator is necessary because if the transfusionist left the blood sitting out, it could have reached an acceptable temperature again once it has been on the cold pack a while. For units not sent on cold packs, we use a Traceable Mini IR Thermometer by MarketLab that is ISO calibrated that has been really reliable. I don't recall them being super expensive either.

How on earth did they condone returning units to inventory when the indicator had turned red!?! Inspectors haven't noticed this? My question would be: to what use is the indicator being used if it is being ignored?  

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  • 2 months later...

We only ever issue one product at a time because we are a small hospital and the surgical suites are literally the next door over from Blood bank. We have been using the Hemotemp stickers on each unit issued. I would like to stop putting hemotemp stickers on and just use an IR thermometer. We don't have coolers to issue products in so I am not concerned with nursing staff taking units out of a cooler for extended time periods and then putting it back and getting temps back down.  Our current policy is that for a unit to go back into inventory it must be returned to blood bank within 30 min and within temp (currently measured by the hemotemp).  Does anyone see any issue I am not considering if I stopped using the hemotemps and switched to measuring the product temp with an IR thermometer considering we only ever give out one unit at a time and never in a cooler? 

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