Jehovah's Witness Transfusion Policy

[simret 19]

Does anyone out there have a policy for  Jehovah's Witness transfusion protocol? 

thanks,

Simret

[Malcolm Needs ★ 4,782]

Certainly in the UK, the Jehovah's Witnesses themselves have detailed transfusion protocols on-line, but are always extremely helpful when contacted by telephone.  I would give them a try.

Another excellent source of information is the book, "All Blood Counts: A manual for blood conservation and patient blood management." by Thomas D, Thompson J, Ridler B eds. Harley, Shrewsbury: tfm Publishing, 2016. ISBN: 978-1-903378-95-3.  pp 530 (paperback).  This is also a very easy read.

[KKidd 70]

With the exception of emergencies, the patient must sign a consent form.  We have a place to decline blood products.

[Baby Banker 81]

Since I work in a pediatric hospital, our patients are minors.  We will approach the parents for consent.  If they will not, we get a court order and proceed.  I'm told the parents usually consent.

[mld123 22]

At a previous hospital I worked at we had a policy and they were only accepting Cryo product and nothing else.  They would just not sign the consent for blood if they did not want to accept blood products.

[SMILLER 864]

We have found that restrictions on taking blood transfusions varies from patient to patient.  Whenever we have a JW patient, we will consult with the patient'e RN and/or physician. 

A good resource in the US is The Jehovah's Witness Hospital Liaison Committee, https://www.jw.org/en/medical-library/hospital-liaison-committee-hlc-contacts/united-states/

Scott

[Kathyang 47]

  We have a consent for refusal, but also has a list of products that they can accept, including RhoGam

[simret 19]

Thank you all for your insights! I will read the book you suggested and some of the web sites you suggested as well and review our policy.

thanks

[bldbnkr 44]

Jumping in years later.  Has anyone heard of the Blood Bank being responsible for keeping the Refusal form and documenting refusal in the EMR or Blood Bank Record?  As a patient who refuses, it is my believe that there should not be an electronic Blood Bank record on said patient.  

[David Saikin 1,387]

On ‎08‎/‎21‎/‎2020 at 8:50 PM, bldbnkr said:

Jumping in years later.  Has anyone heard of the Blood Bank being responsible for keeping the Refusal form and documenting refusal in the EMR or Blood Bank Record?  As a patient who refuses, it is my believe that there should not be an electronic Blood Bank record on said patient.  

It definitely should be a part of the medical record, electronic or otherwise.

No need for BB to keep the document - medical record.  I'd put a note on the patient record card/BBIS for future reference.

[AMcCord 1,265]

I do as David does - a note to indicate that the patient is a Jehovah's Witness. If the patient has accepted plasma but not red cells, I will also note that. Saves them a bill for an unwanted crossmatch sometimes if I can notify the provider that he/she should discuss transfusion with the patient before we perform testing to set up red cells for them. (And yes, I think that providers should discuss transfusion with their patients, ideally before ordering the products, but we know that the real world doesn't always work that way.)

[simret 19]

Thank you all!!