Another tech and myself were discussing the possibility of insuring that a patient that was sent to the OR prior to any pre-OP testing was done. It just so happens that this patient is a known patient that has a known Jka. We were discussing what would be the outcome if they suddenly had to have units on the patient. The Micro supervisor was sitting close by, and remarked "Well cant you just give them some O Negs?" We nearly broke our necks swinging them around to see who had uttered such a ignorant comment. She even went so far to say that the O Negs would be best because they did not have any antibodies in them. Now, I could have expected a nurse to come up with a comment such as this, but a Med Tech with over 50 years of experience.

Any other "ignorance" going on out in BB world?

LOTS AND LOTS AND LOTS AND LOTS!

I got in 'trouble' off my colleague for giving A-pos platelets to an O-pos patient - they were HLA matched... I pointed out that if she reported me for it she would look really foolish...

But at the end of the day if a patient is bleeding out and has antibodies the question is what will kill them - exanguination or a DHTR?

^{Yes, I'm surprised at how many in the Lab don't understand Blood Bank.  But then again, I've been in the BB for 28 years...so please don't ask me a Micro question.}  

Even docs don't understand BB. We had a pediatric registrar who was insisting on issue of O Rh negative FFP to a 3 yr old baby with B Positive blood group who had suddenly started bleeding at night and we didn't have any B group FFP in stock. He was refusing to accept AB group FFP which the tech had thawed. I had to step in & talk to consultant at 2 am & convince him for them to accept AB Group FFP.

That's dreadful aafrin.

But oh soooo common.  I think all of us have heard the "Just give them O Neg!" line at one time or another.  Still - I am woefully ignorant of most Micro questions too - don't know how ignorant I might sound to them!  

I don't mind a microbiologist who doesn't know much about blood bank. I certainly don't know much about micro. I worry when the people who are working in blood bank don't have basic BB knowledge.

I, too, know little or nothing (probably nothing) about microbiology, BUT, I would not, therefore, put my views forward on matters microbiological. Sadly, it is often the case that someone who knows nothing about blood transfusion think that it is their prerogative to give their views, as "blood transfusion is easy", with only 4 ABO blood groups and D+ or D-. These are also usually the exact same people who are unwilling to work in Blood Bank, because they fear killing someone!!!!!!!!!!!!

There is talk of having a true blood sciences at our place with the chemists covering haem and bb too - they refused claiming they don't get paid enough...

I have found in the laboratory there are, essentially, two kinds of people, those who like blood bank and work in blood bank and everyone else.  Most of those who stay away from blood bank do so out of fear of hurting someone.  Granted, you can cause as much harm with a mistake in chemistry and hematology and even cytology for that matter but they don't seem to recognize that and they can usually blame it on the "machine". 

I guess I am fortunate to work in a lab that has more than two types of people. 

 

Most of us work in two or three of the four main testing areas within our Lab (Micro, Hema, Chem and BB), and we like rotating.  There are a few that stick to one area, and we do have a few coordinators that stay in one place, as well as pretty much everyone who works in Micro during the day.

 

We would not be able to function here without the generalists, including those that work in BB.  We simply do not have the staffing to have areas manned by "specialists".  We do not really have any horror stories to compare to those detailed above.  The people here are all pretty reponsible and intellegent.  In general, i think that is true of all Lab workers, with few exceptions.

 

Scott

On ‎1‎/‎30‎/‎2014 at 2:11 PM, MAGNUM said:

Another tech and myself were discussing the possibility of insuring that a patient that was sent to the OR prior to any pre-OP testing was done. It just so happens that this patient is a known patient that has a known Jka. We were discussing what would be the outcome if they suddenly had to have units on the patient. The Micro supervisor was sitting close by, and remarked "Well cant you just give them some O Negs?" We nearly broke our necks swinging them around to see who had uttered such a ignorant comment. She even went so far to say that the O Negs would be best because they did not have any antibodies in them. Now, I could have expected a nurse to come up with a comment such as this, but a Med Tech with over 50 years of experience.

Any other "ignorance" going on out in BB world?

lol I find that micro folks in most places only do micro.  after being locked in micro for 50 years breathing those anaerobes its a wonder they even know their name  hahaha   Its the use it or loose it syndrome. As others have said above.  I plate, do wet preps, gram stains but that's it with my micro knowledge.  To be honest we are a small rural hospital and the extent of even our BB supervisor is minimal compared to any BB tech that works at a large facility.   We do keep and give FFP though so when we have a nurse freakout about what appears to be mismatch we have a chart posted in the BB we show them.  That is usually sufficient. 

I put the compatibility for rbcs and fp on the transfusion p/u forms the nurses use when they come for products.  That has helped a lot when giving ABO compatible vs ABO identical rbs or plasma