Does anyone use the Typenex Barcode Plus Condensed blood band at their facility?  Or any other blood band that does not require patient demographics on the blood band?  https://www.typenex.com/products/pdf/barcode-plus-condensed-dfu.pdf

We currently use a barcoded blood bank band that requires the patient demographic information to be handwritten on.  It has a carbonless sticker system.  The sticker is peeled off and put on the T/S specimen, the carbonless copy is part of the armband.  We have problems with clerical errors, name changes (especially after a John Doe is identified) and illegible handwriting. 

We are considering going to the condensed armband that just has the barcoded number on it for the blood bank.  This will be used in conjunction with the hospital armband that has the patient name, MR#, account # and DOB on it.

I'd appreciate any insight from those who have used the condensed band or a similar product.

 

We use the Final Check system from Typenex.  We place the code on the patients admission band and the code is put on the specimen.

I use BloodLoc codes.  We use a separate armband for the BL codes.  Tried using the admit id bracelet but ours get changed with every status change of the pt so we opted for our own armband, which is distinct from the admit id.

I agree with Kim, above.  The code connects the specimen to any unit that is eventually hung on the patient who has the same code on their hospital armband.  What point is there in adding another armband that only has the code on it?

We are using Final Check - a sticker with the code goes on every specimen tube. We also are using a separate band for Blood Bank for the same reason that David mentioned. The band we are using is kind of a hybrid band. There is a wide space for patient ID information. That info can be handwritten, which we do only if we have to - mostly emergency cases and a few outpatient situations. Happily that area is large enough for us to put a patient ID sticker that is then covered with a clear adhesive tab. Keeps the patient information legible through bathing, bleeding, sweating, etc.  The ID sticker is printed from our handheld devices - just a generic patient info sticker with B.D., MR#, account number, name, location, date and time. We could also print a duplicate Blood Bank specimen label for that purpose. For patient orders that don't appear in the handhelds, we have zebra labels and one of the large patient stickers from those labels will fit on the band.

So BloodLoc and Final Check folks, the unit of blood is inside a bag that can only be unlocked with the correct code from the armband.  Are these locks reusable? 

2 hours ago, ltechlin said:

So BloodLoc and Final Check folks, the unit of blood is inside a bag that can only be unlocked with the correct code from the armband.  Are these locks reusable? 

The Final Check locks are not reusable. Once the code is entered initially, a bar is slid/clicked which locks the code in permanently. Reuse would introduce an opportunity for a unit going out with the code for another patient. (They can be recycled however.)

3 hours ago, ltechlin said:

So BloodLoc and Final Check folks, the unit of blood is inside a bag that can only be unlocked with the correct code from the armband.  Are these locks reusable?

Only with the same code.  Essentially, No - we do not reuse.

If you use HemaTrax®, you are in a position to print any required machine readable ISBT 128 label that you need.

The locks look pretty slick!  Great that your facilities will purchase them.  Thanks for the information.

 

Our nurses can currently scan medications at the bedside before they administer them, we'd like to get there with blood products as well.

We also had same issues with clerical errors so we researched and found a new band from PDC St John that is a custom label and barcode scannable. Only thing that's written on the band is date/time and initials of phlebotomist.

On 4/1/2016 at 7:59 PM, cthherbal said:

We also had same issues with clerical errors so we researched and found a new band from PDC St John that is a custom label and barcode scannable. Only thing that's written on the band is date/time and initials of phlebotomist.

I'd be interested in exactly what product this is!  Do you have an item # or name of the product?

http://www.pdchealthcare.com/securliner-veridigitr-barcode-blood-wristband-poly-synthetic-hybrid-serialized-barcode-write-on-label-with-shield-large-font-3-5-x-11-adult-pedi-light-blue-150-bands-per-box.html

Thanks cthherbal!