Removal of blood components from their storage location has been identified as a source of error in the transfusion process. Most errors occur when the patient details on the blood component label are not checked against written documentation with core patient’s identifiers.
Only members of staff assessed as competent and issued with a bar code can collect/return units of red cells to a blood fridge.
There are 4 blood fridges located within the Trust. Clinical location given at request for red cell units is used to allocate the units into the most appropriate fridge. Ward Enquiry will state the location of the units. Only members of staff assessed as competent and issued with a bar code can collect units of red cells from a blood fridge.
Only one unit of red cells must be collected at a time unless the patient is having haemodialysis or has been declared a major haemorrhage. The unit of red cells must be delivered to the clinical area without delay. When more than one unit of red cells is removed at a time, they should be transported in a cooler box with a cooler pack. White cooler boxes are used for all clinical areas. The return process is used if a unit of red cells is being returned from a clinical area or being transported from one blood fridge to another blood fridge.
Units should only be taken to the clinical area if all the patient’s core identifiers on the Transfusion Laboratory generated “red” label on the unit exactly match the patient’s core identifiers on the documentation that was used to collect the unit. If the unit is not safe to be taken to the clinical area Blood Track will alert the user with a red message “Contact Blood Bank for advice”. The unit should not be taken to the clinical area but placed back into the blood fridge and Transfusion Laboratory contacted immediately on ext 7697 or bleep 298. The laboratory staff will establish if the unit is safe to transfuse and inform the users of the next action required.
The maximum transportation time for a unit of red cells is 30 minutes if it has been transported by hand and 4 hours if it has been transported in a cooler box.
Units that have exceeded transport time can be transfused as long as the unit is completed within 4 hours from the time it was removed from a blood fridge. To establish the exact time the unit was removed contact the Transfusion Laboratory on ext 7697 or bleep 298. Red cell units must never be placed in a drug fridge. All unused components should be returned to the transfusion laboratory as soon as possible, with an explanation from the clinical area of the circumstances of the return.