| Learning Objective #1: Describe five risks of blood transfusion and List five strategies to reduce transfusions | |||
| Learning Objective #2: Identify Pharmacists and Nursings role in anemia management |
We have been working to initiate blood conservation techniques at our hospital.
A collaborative effort of Physicians, Nursing, and Lab personal created an adult, pediatric and infant transfusion order form. The forms were developed to help standardize blood component ordering across all services. In conjunction with our order forms we created a poster to showcase guidelines of indications for blood transfusion. We have strategically placed our guidelines posters throughout the hospital. All patient care units and operating rooms have a poster for quick reference.
Pharmacists lead anemia management support physicians and nurses as we ask them to transfuse with caution.
Through our blood conservation strategies we have seen an overall reduction in RBC use across all three hospital campuses. In cardiac services we have seen a 30% reduction in red blood cell use. Elective orthopedic surgeries realized a 20% reduction in RBC use. Our data demonstrates that conservation leads to reduced length of stay for our elective orthopedic surgeries.
Our data supports that with preoperative planning, anemia management, blood sparing surgical techniques and stricter adherence to our hospital transfusion guidelines we reduce the need for RBC transfusions. Our efforts have demonstrated significant reduction in actual acquisition cost of blood.