Is anyone using stick-on temperature indicators for their RBC units? If so, what are your thoughts? I saw a vendor at AABB this year who was selling them and now can't remember who it was....

Safe-T-Vue is the only brand to use for  long term 

The HemoTemps do NOT stay activated.

Safe-T-Vue -each box comes with validation!

They are more expensive

  I use Hemotemps at both my jobs and we never have had a problem with them. They also come with validation of the lot.

We use HemoTemp II, and have great luck...even with long CV surgery cases.

15 hours ago, LIMPER55 said:

Safe-T-Vue is the only brand to use for  long term 

The HemoTemps do NOT stay activated.

Safe-T-Vue -each box comes with validation!

They are more expensive

I had trouble with the HemoTemps turning as well.  We put them on our emergency release units when we set them up.  Safe-T-Vue works well (as long as you don't put your thumb in the middle!) and we only use them on emergency release/massive transfusion and when we issue more than one unit at a time, so the cost really isn't an issue-$1.50 vs $1.

Are you using the 6C versions of these? I played with 6C version of the kind that activates by pushing a little button in the center and couldn't keep the indicator from flashing to over temp.

I have used Safe-T-Vue 10 and 6 versions.  We had an extremely hard time getting the 6 version from turning red to say it was out of temp.  We moved to the Hemo-Trac 6 indicators and we love them.  They can be stored at Room Temp and work really well.  We get them from Fisher.

Thank you, everyone, for your feedback. Much appreciated!

 

Check out Blood Temp 10, PDC Healthcare. We've been happy with them since switching over from HemoTemp. (No activation required)

On 11/17/2017 at 11:41 AM, Jennifer Castle said:

Check out Blood Temp 10, PDC Healthcare. We've been happy with them since switching over from HemoTemp. (No activation required)

Problem is that blood in storage (which means blood within your facility) must be at 6C, not 10C. Have you tried the Blood Temp 6 indicators - do they work for you?

We use the Blood Temp 10 for transport, not for storage. The standard for transport is 1-10.

 

I just got Hemo Temp II's at my facility and the instructions say that each lot must be calibrated before use. You are getting it automatically with yours or did I misunderstand?

We validate our coolers for 6C and use 10C Safe-T-Vue's, under the assumption that if the unit is in the cooler, 6C is maintained, if it is out of the cooler it is in transport.  Haven't had any problems with FDA or AABB.  We tried using the 6C Safe-T-Vue indicators, but they changed before we could even issue the products sometimes.

We use Safe T Vue. The only problem we have is they don't always stick well to the bag. We have had problems with them coming off

On ‎11‎/‎24‎/‎2017 at 11:26 AM, Jennifer Castle said:

We use the Blood Temp 10 for transport, not for storage. The standard for transport is 1-10.

 

Where do you transport?

I tried the safTvue - my studies indicated that the 6 degree versions actually activated at 5C.  Plus I had to by 2000 at a pop.  No way.

We use HemoTemp II on blood we ship out.  I know folks that will put them on units going to the OR or in coolers - not legitimate use of this product when blood is stored (not shipped).  The FDA has come out and said that coolers in the OR are storage.

On ‎11‎/‎02‎/‎2017 at 6:26 PM, Kathyang said:

  I use Hemotemps at both my jobs and we never have had a problem with them. They also come with validation of the lot.

Mine do not . . . they come w directions on calibration

1 hour ago, David Saikin said:

Where do you transport?

To the floors, units that are not in coolers. Also to our outpatient cancer center in another building, which do go in coolers, but are called for when they are ready to hang.

The only reason that we still put indicators on units sent in coolers is to verify that the units were not removed from the cooler for an extended period of time or that warm plasma was not inadvertently placed in the blood cooler.

54 minutes ago, Carrie Easley said:

The only reason that we still put indicators on units sent in coolers is to verify that the units were not removed from the cooler for an extended period of time or that warm plasma was not inadvertently placed in the blood cooler.

Do you train the nursing staff not to put their fingers on the indicators?

13 minutes ago, tkakin said:

Do you train the nursing staff not to put their fingers on the indicators?

We haven't, but I can't say that it's been an issue.  Have you seen that as a problem?

No, I was considering putting the indicators on the products in surgery coolers, but wasn't sure if it was going to be a problem with nursing staff touching them, if only the indicators came with a little camera

On 11/6/2017 at 7:23 AM, AMcCord said:

Are you using the 6C versions of these? I played with 6C version of the kind that activates by pushing a little button in the center and couldn't keep the indicator from flashing to over temp.

This was our experience too. Then about 18 months ago, they kept going red even when we knew they were stored within acceptable range. We got rid of the Safe-T-Vues and switched to hemotemps.

I am looking at the Blood Temp 6's. Has anyone use them?

On 1/9/2018 at 8:37 AM, David Saikin said:

I tried the safTvue - my studies indicated that the 6 degree versions actually activated at 5C.  Plus I had to by 2000 at a pop.  No way.

We use HemoTemp II on blood we ship out.  I know folks that will put them on units going to the OR or in coolers - not legitimate use of this product when blood is stored (not shipped).  The FDA has come out and said that coolers in the OR are storage.

Are units that are not in a cooler and are taken from a blood bank to patient's room considered storage as well?

2 hours ago, Darren said:

Are units that are not in a cooler and are taken from a blood bank to patient's room considered storage as well?

If the blood is going to stay in the cooler until transfused - it is storage.  (1-6C for storage)

If the blood is taken to the room and stored "elsewhere" that is transport. (1-10C:  temp while blood is in transport mode)

If the blood is not in a cooler and taken to the patient's room - that is transfusion

Edited November 7, 20186 yr by David Saikin