Submitted by Jocelyn Chapman on February 6, 2014 - 10:33am
Last revised by Web Producer on March 13, 2014 - 12:43pm.
Idea Status:
Patients get a check specimen drawn in the OR at the time of IV access. The check specimen is often a duplicated test as the blood bank only requires a historical Type and Cross and a current type and Cross in order to crossmatch blood.
We propose that the duplicate test happens because staff (a.) do not understand what the check specimen is for and (b.) do not know that a historical type and screen and a current type and screen preclude the requirement for this test.
Commenting is closed.
Comments
The number of incorrectly
The number of incorrectly ordered ABO/Rh confirmation (previously known as check) specimen is significantly large (24-25% are not needed, averaging ~120-130 per month in Parnassus+MtZion blood banks). Similarly, about 20% of all type and screen orders (~500 each month) are ordered in error and end up getting canceled. Unfortunately these numbers have remained steady since APeX implementation. A larger percentage of these are orders coming from the ORs. On the other extreme, not ordering the correct test due to lack of understanding of the need for it results in blood bank not being able to issue blood products to some patients in a timely manner. The same problem exists for the product orders received by the blood bank (~20% of RBC and plasma orders, and ~10% of platelet and cryoprecipitate orders end up getting canceled because they were entered by error). Mandatory Provider and nursing educational modules and APeX modifications for better display of BB tests/orders and/or alerts to assist providers and nurses would be very helpful in decreasing un-necessary orders, phlebotomies, phone calls for clarification, and in some cases, delay in blood product availability.