As of the fourth quarter last year, Blood Bank leadership teams are reaching out to in-service training facilitators at hospital/healthcare facilities in a collaborative effort to regularly educate ward staff about best transfusion practices that pertain to ordering and administration of blood, and place misdirected transfusions on a downward trajectory.
A misdirected transfusion event occurs when a patient receives a blood component, with or without ABO incompatibility, that was intended for another patient. The transfusion outcomes in such cases could potentially result in a severe haemolytic reaction and patient fatality.
Even with the best systems and processes in place at Blood Banks and hospitals/facilities, these errors are attributable to human factors and are all preventable.
It is hoped that blood transfusion education will form part of the hospital/facility in-service training syllabus. Blood Bank teams will address relevant staff about individual cases of misdirected transfusions that may have occurred at the hospital/facility, alert them about the potential serious consequences, and educate them about correct procedures so as to prevent a recurrence. The training will be held by a PowerPoint presentation and short video.
Watch this space for further Blood Bank training initiatives.
For more information, contact your nearest Blood Bank Manager.