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Blood Refrig in Trauma Bay

By JOSEPH BLANSFIELD posted 06-07-2018 11:31

  
We would to add a blood refrigerator in the trauma bay and would like input from those who have done this. My questions are: 
Has it helped in your resuscitations? MTPs?
Any Lessons Learned in implementing this?
How much and what products do you keep there?
Thanks for your help.
Joseph Blansfield, MS, NP, TCRN
Boston Medical Center
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09-29-2018 09:47

Hello, my facility has 2 blood refrigerators... one for singles with approximately 8 O neg and O pos along with approximately 8 FFP. The second one is for 2 MTP packs. This has helped tremendously. Now the practice is blood first for hypotensive trauma patients, we utilize this a lot!!! It helps our resuscitations and outcomes. When we open the refrigerator it notifies blood bank products have been removed. We have forms we send back to them and they are very prompt in refilling the used products or keeping the MTP going. It would be a tremendous benefit for your department. I work in a level 1 trauma center in Chicago.... we average 10-15 trauma’s a day. Hope this helps!

08-12-2018 13:49

​Joseph,
At my facility we have a blood "kiosk". We have whole blood, PRBCs O- and O+, and FFP, 4 of each. It has definitely helps in our resuscitations. Blood can be up within a minute of the patient arriving. I would miss having the kiosk if I went to a facility that did not have one in use. On multiple occasions we have utilized the entire kiosk, but are able to rapidly mobilize MTP if needed. It saves man power. The old process, was having someone run for products for every high alerted trauma, which can be exhausting and delay product administration.

At another facility I worked in the blood bank delivered the blood to the trauma bay. The kiosk has by far been the most efficient and life saving.

We have very specific education, and parameters of course. Our Trauma program manager, a trauma surgeons worked tightly with the Blood Bank team to create a cohesive and safe process.

Hope this helps!