PRETRANSFUSION TESTING

Course overview

PRETRANSFUSION TESTING INCLUDES ALL ACTIVITIES FROM WHEN THE BLOOD PRODUCT IS ORDERED BY THE PHYSICIAN TO THE FINAL STEP WHEN THE BLOOD PRODUCT CAN BE DISPENSED FROM THE LABORATORY TO THE PATIENT'S BEDSIDE. THIS INCLUDES SEROLOGICAL TESTING SUCH AS BLOOD TYPING, ANTIBODY SCREENING, AND CROSSMATCHING IN THE LABORATORY. THIS ACTIVITY EMPHASIZES THE IMPORTANCE OF POSITIVE PATIENT IDENTIFICATION, COMPATIBILITY TESTING, AND APPROPRIATE PRODUCT LABELING TO ENSURE THAT THE RIGHT BLOOD IS GIVEN TO THE RIGHT PATIENT AT THE RIGHT DOSE. AN EMPHASIS ON THE ELECTRONIC CROSSMATCH AND RED CELL UNIT SELECTION IN SITUATIONS WHERE CROSSMATCH COMPATIBLE UNITS ARE NOT AVAILABLE FOR TRANSFUSION. A SUMMARY OF LABORATORY TESTING PRINCIPLES IS ALSO DESCRIBED. THE ROLE OF ATTENDING PHYSICIANS, NURSES, LABORATORY PHYSICIANS, AND TECHNICAL PERSONNEL INVOLVED IN THE ENTIRE TRANSFUSION CHAIN IS EMPHASIZED.