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