We have a ped open heart surgeon that maintains pump blood until the following day for possible infusion in validated blood bank coolers changing the ice every six hours. Is this an acceptible practice or does someone have experience with an alternative storage method..

Have your coolers been validated for storage (1-6C) or just transport (1-10C)?

They have been validated for 1-6C for 6 hours.

I guess it is OK . . . it seems that this is a practice that is beyond the purvue of the Blood Bank per se HOWEVER, I would expect that the BB Med Director should have some input into the practice and be involved in the policies/procedures associated with it. You don't take this product into the BB for any reason do you?

No the Blood Bank does not see this blood at all. Thank you for your reply. We felt the same as you but wondered if there were other acceptible methods since storage of blood products in coolers is contraversial by regulators.

I agree......it's probably OK, but I really don't like the idea. (I think I'd rather have a little monitored BB refrigerator in that patient care area instead of the coolers, if that would be possible.) (But I have to admit, I don't like off-site BB refrigerators, either!)

Donna