Biochemistry
Haematology and Transfusion
Clinical Microbiology (Including Virology)
Cellular Pathology
General Information
Immunology
Molecular Pathology
Blood Bank Timing Of Requests
Planned Transfusion
At least 24 hours notice of blood requirement must be given before the blood is required. Blood will be issued after the ABO and Rhesus (D) groups have been checked and the blood has been screened for atypical antibodies. If there are atypical antibodies, suitable blood may then have to be obtained from the NHSBT. This may take up to 48 hours. Please note all patients are required to have their blood groups performed on two separate samples prior to the issue to crossmatched units, one of these may be an historical group.
Urgent Transfusion
When a transfusion is urgently required It is very important that Blood Bank are informed that an emergency specimen is on the way and how soon blood is required as the choice of emergency procedure depends on this information. The ward or operating theatre will be telephoned when blood is ready. Please allow for the time taken for the specimen to arrive in the laboratory. Please note the two sample rule applies to all crossmatch requests.
Immediate Transfusion
(For massive and rapid blood loss – please refer to: Blood Transfusion: Massive haemorrhage protocol.
Loss & Urgent Transfusion available on the Trust Intranet)
Immediate transfusion may be required for massive and rapid blood loss. Please send a EDTA sample to the Blood Bank as soon as possible. If blood is required urgently, group specific blood will be issued in the absence of a completed antibody screen. The decision to transfuse uncross matched blood is a medical decision, please see procedure 5. Please note the two sample rule applies to all crossmatch requests.
If the need for transfusion is so great that there is no time to wait for ABO grouped blood, then emergency O RhD negative blood can be found in the following locations
|
Location of Blood Fridge |
Door Number/Department |
Number of bags of emergency O negative blood |
|
Blood Bank Issue room |
A/-1/CLS/C5a |
4
|
|
Emergency Department |
A/1/AE/7 |
4 |
|
Main Theatres |
A/2/STR/20A |
4 |
|
Royal Orthopaedic Hospital |
Theatres |
6 |
|
Interventional Radiology |
Interventional Radiology Department |
2 |
O Rh (D) negative is compatible with all blood groups but may cause a reaction in patients who have antibodies. It is most important that a blood specimen for blood group and antibody screen is obtained from the patient at the earliest opportunity so that group specific blood can be supplied. The decision to transfuse O RhD negative is a medical decision.
N.B: When blood is removed from the Blood Bank before full compatibility can be established, the responsibility for the safety of the transfusion rests solely with the medical officer prescribing the blood.
When removing emergency O Negative blood, log the blood components out of the Satellite blood fridge log and complete the patient details in the blood register. This MUST include the time and date the units are removed, who they are for (name and Reg. No.), where the patient is and who took the units. Emergency blood that is taken towards where PICS is available, the transfusion must be both prescribed and recorded on PICS.
If the blood is transfused the card attached to each unit MUST be completed and placed in the basket in the fridge from which the unit(s) were removed.
If blood is returned unused the date/time returned MUST be written on the register. It is vital that blood bank staff know how long the blood is out of the fridge.
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