Medical Services

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