Pre-Transfusion Sample Verification Guide

Transfusion medicine

Pre-Transfusion Specimen Collection Steps

Step 1: Armband or Patient’s Statement to Specimen Label(s)

  • Outpatient (no armband): Patient states and spells first, last, and middle initial and Date of Birth
  • Inpatient (armband: Collecting Verifier states and spells patient’s first, last, and middle initial and MRN#
  • Secondary Verifier reads back first, last and middle initial and Date of Birth (outpatient)/ MRN (inpatient) from Cerner-generated specimen label

Step 2: Specimen Label to Requisition

  • Secondary Verifier reads first, last and middle initial and MRN from Cerner-generated specimen label
  • Collecting Verifier reads first, last, and middle initial and MRN from Order requisition (if outpatient these will be the labels that we verified in the last step)

Step 3: Filling of Specimen Tube

  • Secondary verifiers observes Collecting verifier collect specimen from patient

Step 4: Documentation

  • Collecting verifier signs name (first initial and last name), dates and times specimen label and requisition – Do not write over patient name or MRN#
  • Secondary verifier signs name (first initial and last name) on specimen label and requisition – Do not write over patient name or MRN#

Pre-Transfusion Specimen Collection Equipment

Inpatient:

  • One 7mL EDTA (two if patient has a known history of positive antibody profile)
  • Cerner-generated order requisition
  • Cerner-generated armband (on patient)
  • A Cerner-generated specimen label for each tube

Outpatient:

  • One 7mL EDTA (two if patient has a known history of positive antibody profile)
  • BloodworksNW Request for Blood Components Form
    • Blue & White (if 3 days of < pre-Op or if no history of transfusion or pregnancy in last 3 months)
    • Pink (if >3 days pre-op and no history of transfusion or pregnancy in last 3 months)
  • Enough Cerner-generated labels to label each copy of request
  • A Cerner-generated specimen label for each tube

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