KKidd

We use Approach B. The armband number is attached to the specific crossmatch sample with the corresponding draw date/time and phlebotomist. This allows us to trace that information easier. When entering test results, we enter the armband number of the sample used. It is not used for plasma products.

We have a "venipuncture " charge that is entered on morning rounds. That way a patient will only get charged once a day. We do not charge if a nurse collects the sample.

We perform a monitor each month by observing the process from the time that the blood is issued until it is started. This is followed by a few questions and the rest of the information is obtained from the transfusion form. I rotate it between nursing units. A copy of the form is sent to the nurse manager along with my findings. I also review all of the transfusion forms that are returned to the lab. We have 2 classifications of variances (QA doesn't like the word errors) - trnasfusion related and incomplete documnetation. When I started the compliance rate was about 65% and now it is about 90%. Each one is returned to the nurse manager. It may be a pain but I am seeing results.

How do you document a patient's history(transfusion/pregnancy) to determine when the pre-op sample should be collected? Is this form charted? Thanks!

I am looking for some references regarding pre-medication prior to transfusion. My manager wants to loook at it regarding a standard of care that would would be presented to the Med Exec Committee. Thanks for your help!

SLow and steady wins the race - left to right. Being a lefty didn't hurt either. Happy New Year to all!

Brenda, I agree with your thoughts regarding the specificity of the lectin. And then there's always the package insert!

My IS person is not here to double check but I can't find this on my screen. Could this be a custom report?

I am also on version 5.6.4 but can't locate the Blood Type/AB report in the menus. Where can I find it? If I can get this worked out, you're a lifesaver!

I have a giant headache that no tylenol can help. We currently backup our patient medical records each day to a specified PC. It appears that if the patient history has had no recent activity, it does not download. Meditech users - How are you making sure that pertinent patient information is available when the computer is down? Thanks!

We don't have the SO head, but our EBA-21 are calibrated at 3500 RPM. You still need to perform a calibration to obtain the optimal centrifugation time.

How do you get the form for the validation kit? If it's from the website, where can you access it? I have trouble navigating the site.

Thanks Terri. THat is exactly how it works here. How do you include it on their competency?

We perform daily QC each morning on first shift. This standard contains a note that all staff are to be included in daily QC over a period of time. We have 1 tech in BB on 1st shift, 3 techs covering the lab on 2nd and 2 techs for the entire lab on 3rd shift. There are 5 techs who do not perform QC due to their work schedules. How are other facilites with minimal staff handling this?

For us, the name must be letter perfect and the MR# number must be exact. All information is to be copied from the hospital armband. If a new sample cannot be obtained, the patient can receive group O, uncrossmatched blood until a new sample has been processed. We do not allow corrections to be made on the label. We also have a form similar to what Liz described.

It doesn't even take a rare antibody to get me excited about the work that we do. There is always something to get my juices flowing. I love explaining the the little things that make blood bank so interesting to my techs. I guess that really makes me a BB nerd and proud to be one.

Has anyone reviewed the new edition of the AABB standards? Under 8.2 #11 (monitoring), how do you intend to comply with this standard? Thanks!

Thanks David, my manager always wants to hear from another source.

I have a slight variation on this question. It was posed by my manager this morning. We had a severe storm Friday night and lost power for approx. 20 hours. The ambient temperature in the hospital was in the upper 90s. My manager's question was "Should we suspend all but emergency transfusions due to the room temp?" Will the higher room temp increase the rate of hemolysis while the blood is hanging? :cool::cool::cool::cool:

I am looking for information regarding giving a patient tylenol prior to a transfusion, Can this mask a significant febrile reaction? Our QA committee wanted to know if this is an acceptable practice and I wanted to check with other facilities. Thanks!! :cool:

My one word answer is never. We had a patient who came into our facility and was typed as O pos. When the "same person" was admitted to our sister hospital he had a different ABO type. It was finally decided that someone else used that person's ID. I won't even give plasma without a type on the current admission.

Same as SMiller. We use A2 cells and check cells for negative and positive controls for the diluent. If the cekck cells are negative it indicates possible contamination of the diluent.

I have been trying to tell my manager that as a lowly transfusion service suprevisor that I can't be the designee. Have you been told this directly by the Joint Commission? My last inspector (July '11) did not say anything.

We just revised our procedure regarding an increase in temperature. We had a number of patients receive blood who had a subnormal baseline temp (96-97) and had to perform a reaction workup due to a 2 degree increase in temp. Now, the temp must reach 100.6. If the base line was greater than 98.6 we use >=2 degrees. Check out the AABB Tech Manual ,17th ed. page741.