Hi.  I am trying to decide how to cite references for the AABB technical manual and the Standards for my SOPs. Currently I cite the actual edition we are using however when I had my most recent inspection, the inspector suggested I use "current edition" in my references.

Does anyone do this and do you have a form that cites the current references in use? If so I would love to see your form.

Thanks.

12 minutes ago, lindam923 said:

Hi.  I am trying to decide how to cite references for the AABB technical manual and the Standards for my SOPs. Currently I cite the actual edition we are using however when I had my most recent inspection, the inspector suggested I use "current edition" in my references.

Does anyone do this and do you have a form that cites the current references in use? If so I would love to see your form.

Thanks.

I can see why the inspector suggested this, because it saves you having to change all your SOPs every time there is a new edition.  However, if you do switch to this, you have to make quite certain that the technical manual and standards have not changed for any particular technique, etc, otherwise you could be cited for having an "out-of-date" SOP (if you see what I mean).  You would, though, only have to change one SOP instead of all of them.

We started using the "current edition" designation quite some time ago and never had any problems.  It made life much easier.  

Our SOPs are electronic.  We do not reference References in each SOP, we have a section called References.  In it we list the current edition of all items we reference.  The only time an SOP will have a reference is if it is very specific, like a manufactures instruction manual.

Do you then have a policy that references the References which describes where the references are referenced?

Just wondering, Scott

1 hour ago, SMILLER said:

Do you then have a policy that references the References which describes where the references are referenced?

Just wondering, Scott

  Yes, in our document management SOP.  

Yes, our policies say "current edition".  We have a cover page in our SOP manual that lists the current editions we are currently using.  It's updated with each new edition, and after review of changes.

Our policies say 'current edition' also. Some time again I got the same suggestion during a CAP inspection by someone who was an AABB inspector. It is an AABB commended practice. I do like the idea of a cover page listing the edition in use.

AABB recommends that so you don’t have to rewrite the references on every policy when they are updated.   Like above, you can have a cover sheet with current edition info. Also, when AABB issues a new edition of standards, they publish a document detailing the changes.   Before the new Standards implementation date,  I would go through that and document on all the changes any policy affected, action required, and date completed.  I had the Medical Director sign off on that when done. Most were “not applicable”, as we were not a donor center, or “no change required to policy XYZ”.