If you require a 2nd spec to verify ABO for new patients, how are you doing that?

We want to discourage drawing 2 specs at the same time, so are considering sending a distinct tube, not used by any other lab, for a separate draw.

Please share your process!

thanks!!

We created a retype in the computer that does not charge. When needed, the BB tech places the order and dispatches a phlebotomist.

If you are going to require a second specimen, it should be from a separate draw, by a different person. Here's what we're implementing:

If you're type O or have a previous type on file, no second specimen needed.

For any non-type O with no historical blood type:

oops...hit enter by mistake, here's part 2

for non type O or no historical type on file:

A second sample is drawn, preferably by the Lab (for example, first specimen drawn in the ER, you don't want to call the ER to get the second one, because if they misidentified the patient, the same nurse/phleb will do it again). We also can use a CBC tube already in the Lab, as long as it was drawn at a different time and by a different phleb as the first.

If the patient is bleeding and we can't get a second specimen, we'll give type O until we can send a phleb from the Lab to go redraw.

We thought about not redrawing for type O, but decided to draw all to be consistent. We will also use a CBC that was drawn at a different time and by a different phlebotomist. The only time we allow the same phlebotomist to draw the 2nd specimen is at night, if there is only one on duty.

Our policy requires a second sample drawn at a different time. We sent out memos and power points to the patient care areas prior to implementation. We may use CBC samples if drawn at a different time, since all the labs follow the same rules for specimen acceptablity. We do not require a different phlebotomist. We notify the patient care area when a second sample is required.

JB

The computer system that my facility operates with has a reflex built in for patients with no previous history. When anything is entered on the results entry screen and verified it automatically orders a non-billed "Retype" specimen. Then we page/call the appropriate department, document the time we did so in the computer and print&tube them a label if necessary.

The retype specimen has to be a unique collection otherwise it's defeating the purpose - anyone who performs phlebotomy is trained regarding this (theoretically). We don't require it to be a unique phlebotomist. If we can see a CBC specimen drawn previously that's still in the main lab's one week archive we can use that, just need to annotate a comment in the archive and the specimen.

Once the retype is complete we have a comment placed in their history file "Retype completed by whoever on such and such day". This is just in case we have a downtime; the entire blood bank history is redundantly copied to a database that we can access even with the actual system being down.

We will accept a faxed blood type report from certain area laboratories we've deemed acceptable, we just have a 2nd tech perform a blood type on the type & screen specimen as a verification. The laboratory who gives us the information is documented in the history comment and we file the hard copies.

We still draw the retype for type O patients. The retype exists to make sure that the specimen we have labeled for whoever really belongs to that particular whoever and isn't a mislabel. Sure giving the patient type O wouldn't hurt them but you could be wasting your O inventory. You have to consider the Rh as well.

Does anyone use Safe Trace Tx and requrie the second sample? Curious as to how this may work with TX. Thanks.