What methods do you use to store your unit segments?

The segs we pull when we are processing in units we put in a small bag labeled with the date received, then put those bags in our reagent refrigerator (where we happen to have a few empty shelves). Every month we put all those "daily" bags in a larger "month" bag that goes on another shelf in that fridge. The segs that we've pulled for our emergency issue units we just keep at room temperature with the rest of the emergency issue paperwork near the door.

We only store our emergency ONeg segs. With each unit possibly being crossmatched multiple times, storing each time creates extra work. We store our transfused blood bags in the fridge for a week - thus only storing tags where a transfusion reaction is possible.

IMO handlabelling tags (or even sticking autogenerated barcodes) is adding an extra step for mixup. What happens if you have a transfusion reaction and the two units segs have been mislabelled accidentally? How can you confirm you are investigating the right unit? By storing the empty bags you are taking the segs from a bag with a unique and permenent identifier and thus eliminating a mixup step.

We don't do anything glamourous with our blood bags - just shove them in the bottom of the fridge. For those in the UK - MHRA state that used bags must be stored in a separate area to the reagents and samples. Our inspectors advised us that a seperate shelf in our reagent/samples fridge was sufficient. They also stated they must never be stored in a fridge with uncrossmatched units.

Until recently retained used bags on the wards 48 hrs now discard them as clinical waste when transfused, never have to go back to them , reactions are usually immediate and the bag still available

We are not allowed to store samples and reagents in same fridge ( CPA stipulated this)

can't believe mhra allow used bags in same fridge as samples / reagents ( esp reagents ) you must have got them on a good day

We do not remove segments for later possible use until the unit is issued for transfusion. Those are saved refrigerated, sorted by day by day, for one week.

can't believe mhra allow used bags in same fridge as samples / reagents ( esp reagents ) you must have got them on a good day

Didn't know they had good days!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Bet it wasn't an inspector with the initials DC!!!!!!!!!!!

:eyepoppin:eyepoppin:eyepoppin:eyepoppin:eyepoppin

Same process here as SMILLER

We are not allowed to store samples and reagents in same fridge ( CPA stipulated this)

can't believe mhra allow used bags in same fridge as samples / reagents ( esp reagents ) you must have got them on a good day

We got pulled up on our temperature variability of our fridges - we are a really small lab with very little 'stock' so the temperature goes out really quickly if we just have a few reagents, even in a small fridge. As a result of this we have one small fridge for all of our samples and reagents. There are 3 shelves that are labelled (on this they did insist) and each type of item is kept on its respective shelf. Both the CPA and MHRA felt this was better than temperature variability. We have the smallest rapid-return fridge available.

Edit - we had this all in writing before it was put into place and also before our inspections. They did comment but I just produced the paperwork from them saying what we do is acceptable...

Two segments are kept from each issued RBC unit, including emergency issued O negs). They are marked with a barcode label from the back of the unit. They are kept in individual cups for each day (unused urine cups make nice sized holders for up to, say 30 units) for 14 days. These cups are then placed in a wooden holder that someone made years ago - (a long, skinny board that has 14 wells cut in it to hold the cups). This works very well, it is clean and takes up very little room. If we get a transfusion reaction - the unit comes down with the paperwork, so we use those segments. If it is a delayed transfusion reaction, we find and use the segments in the cups. No nasty, leaking "empty" bags to store - no way I would have room in my frigs for all of the units anyway.

We quit getting empty blood bags back when AIDS came on the scene. No more blood bags carried dripping through the halls.

we take out two segments from each donor units(label with DIN label from the bag) at the time of receiving units in out inventory. we store them in a bag for each day and then all the bags in a big bag with month label on it(store in a specimen ref. which is 1-6C). We store our segments for 60 days. If there is a transfusion reaction and bag is returned for the workup, we use the attached segment.

(unused urine cups make nice sized holders for up to, say 30 units).

Thank goodness for that!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

:giggle::giggle:

We quit getting empty blood bags back when AIDS came on the scene. No more blood bags carried dripping through the halls.

Ew - ours are sealed with bungs and carried in sealed bags.

Back in the 80s when they were returned to the lab we had occasions where they were returned in the internal mail !

We take off a segment at issue and label it with a sticker from the bag. Next day the previous day's segments are wrapped together with an elastic and saved with the rack of patient specs from that day. All are saved 21 days then discarded. Our blood supplier keeps a segment from each bag as well for the dating period of the unit.

Unit bags are discarded on the floors after transfusion. Bags from reactions are returned to the lab.

Unit bags are discarded on the floors after transfusion. Bags from reactions are returned to the lab.

Sp if bags from reactions are returned to the lab do you need to keep the pigtails/tag lines?

The segment we removed from the unit the patient had the reaction to? It's easiest to just leave it in the daily segment container (a clean, empty pee cup [handy little things, eh?]) to be bundled up with its friends at the end of the day.

We take off a segment at issue and label it with a sticker from the bag. Next day the previous day's segments are wrapped together with an elastic and saved with the rack of patient specs from that day. All are saved 21 days then discarded. Our blood supplier keeps a segment from each bag as well for the dating period of the unit.

Unit bags are discarded on the floors after transfusion. Bags from reactions are returned to the lab.

Our procedure is almost identical to Dr. Pepper's, except we keep the patient specimens and tail segments from issued units for 14 days (instead of 21 days.)

We quit getting empty blood bags back when AIDS came on the scene. No more blood bags carried dripping through the halls.

Same here.

The segment we removed from the unit the patient had the reaction to? It's easiest to just leave it in the daily segment container (a clean, empty pee cup [handy little things, eh?]) to be bundled up with its friends at the end of the day.

So if the bag is returned and the segs on that used does a stored seg ever actually get used? I'm failing to see the reasoning behind keeping them...

Maybe it's the bubble bath, wine, candles and chocolate that is disturbing my thinking... God I'm sad - in the bath and still chunnering away on here

"So if the bag is returned and the segs on that used does a stored seg ever actually get used? I'm failing to see the reasoning behind keeping them... " QUOTE

The stored segments get used if there is a delayed transfusion reaction. The ones usually found by the Lab anyway.

We only bring in about 15 - 20 units a day. When a unit come in we remove a segment, place a unit # sticker on it. Bundle the segments together and tape them and write the date on them. Place them in a bag for the month. We keep 2 + months.

Previous place just placed all the segments in a specimen bag, labeled it with the date received and expiration date (49 days).

We store a segment when we first bring a unit into inventory. Those are kept for 56 days (14 days past expiration of the youngest possible unit) in a large bag labelled with receipt date. When we crossmatch a unit, we keep a segment (either the actual pierced one used for a serological crossmatch or an unpierced one if we do an electronic crossmatch) with the patient sample for 14 days. We use these for immediate reactions and the first ones for delayed reactions. And yes, we have had to go digging in the bags for segments.

When a unit is issued, we place a segment in a tube labeled with the barcode label from the bag. The tube goes in a rack with diviisions for each day of the week. In total, the segs are saved for ten days in case subsequent testing is needed.

currently we seperate one segment for each unit during processing and place it in glass tubes with donor ID #. these are retained for a variable period of time till after the unit is issued.