We have long had the practice of when a blood product has been issued to a hospital unit but because of patient conditions has to be transferred to another unit, that the blood product must be returned to the lab and after the patient is settled in and the second hospital unit is ready to transfuse the blood product that they send us a request for it. 

 

Is this a requirement of AABB, CAP, TJC or FDA? Or is it just a practice at our hospital. We have a new Lab Manager who says it is not a regulatory requirement but we want to make sure of that and don't know how to find out.

 

Thanks for your help!

The blood goes with the patient and they have 4 hours from the time of original checkout to get it infused. Doesn't seem to be a problem.

It is a problem for us because we use the Blood Product Administration Module of Epic EHR and it only allows them 30 minutes to start transfusing the blood.

We are not informed of transfers and the status of blood products to be transfused or transfusing.   Can you change that time limit in EMR?   If not, what happens if it is greater than 30 minutes?   Are they unable to start the transfusion or they just get warnings?

13 hours ago, Candybar said:

It is a problem for us because we use the Blood Product Administration Module of Epic EHR and it only allows them 30 minutes to start transfusing the blood.

We just started using BPAM here - good to know, because I'm sure we are going to get some frantic phone calls.

22 hours ago, AMcCord said:

We just started using BPAM here - good to know, because I'm sure we are going to get some frantic phone calls.

I've asked one of our RN superusers to investigate the time issue on BPAM. If he comes up with something useful for everyone, I'll share.

On 11/15/2017 at 7:54 AM, R1R2 said:

We are not informed of transfers and the status of blood products to be transfused or transfusing.   Can you change that time limit in EMR?   If not, what happens if it is greater than 30 minutes?   Are they unable to start the transfusion or they just get warnings?

They are not able to start it. Hospital policy says the unit must be spiked within 30 minutes of issue or it is to be returned to blood bank.

13 hours ago, AMcCord said:

I've asked one of our RN superusers to investigate the time issue on BPAM. If he comes up with something useful for everyone, I'll share.

It might be the way ours is built because ours is set up per our hospital policy.

13 hours ago, Candybar said:

They are not able to start it. Hospital policy says the unit must be spiked within 30 minutes of issue or it is to be returned to blood bank.

How do you handle blood issued and in remote storage, i.e., a cooler?

We use the Epic BPAM, and there is no 30-minute rule built in ours.  Must be a facility setting.  We removed every 30-minute reference years ago.  In reference to the original question, we are not informed of transfers so the unit can travel w/ the patient.  We just require that transfusion is complete within 4 hours of issue.

Currently it is not a problem and they have 4 hours from the time of issue to infuse the unit. However we will be going to SafeTrace and EPIC next fall so any information passed on will be greatly appreciated.

On ‎11‎/‎17‎/‎2017 at 10:02 AM, R1R2 said:

How do you handle blood issued and in remote storage, i.e., a cooler?

Sorry it took me so long to respond. Yes, we issue blood on ice in a cooler to the ORs and CVORs. BPAM allows them more time than issuing to any other unit.