Blood Bank Guy Essentials Podcast

I've known Dr. Pat Kopko, Director of Transfusion Medicine at UC San Diego, for over 30 years! For this episode, we decided to have a conversation about the "essential" things we wish we would have known back when we started on our respective paths to being blood bankers. Pat and I get really, really practical, and give you tons of useful information, including tips, memory tools, and facts presented in a memorable way. This episode is one for all of you who don’t do blood banking every day: Residents, medical students, clinicians, non-blood bank pathologists, nurses, non-blood bank laboratory scientists, and anyone else who doesn’t live in our world all the time! So, pull up a chair, eavesdrop on two friends talking the “Essentials,” and enjoy! NOTE: CE credit has expired for this episode.

Everyone everywhere in transfusion medicine is talking about patient blood management! What is not often discussed, however, is just how to monitor practices, and what we should do to get started or get better. Mark Fung joins me to discuss 6 practical tips to influence transfusion practice in your hospital. His real-world strategies will help anyone involved in improving transfusion practice! NOTE: CE credit has expired for this episode.

An 80 year old male with acute leukemia is getting a platelet transfusion, he begins to feel short of breath. The nurse overseeing the transfusion asks the hematology fellow, "What do you want me to do next, doctor?" The fellow feels his pulse quicken, and he prepares to give his best answer... Situations like this are real and occur every single day in hospitals around the world. Many studies have shown a significant lack of basic transfusion medicine training for clinical physicians, and a not-too-surprising accompanying knowledge gap, even for those in specialties like hematology.  Dr. Rich Haspel and colleagues from the BEST Collaborative set out to define the problem AND come up with solutions! He shares both in this episode.

During the 1980's and 90's, U.S. blood collectors asked more and more (and then MORE) questions of our volunteer blood donors, to the point of absurdity. Dr. Mary Townsend was an original (and current) member of the task force that changed all of that, and she is here to help you understand why we ask what we ask! Note: This is NOT a Continuing Education episode. See BBGuy.org or TransfusionNews.com for more information on continuing education.

In the remote history of transfusion medicine, life was simple. We had exactly one product: Whole blood. Things changed, and for the last 50 years or so, we began to separate whole blood into red cells, plasma, and platelets. As we learn more and more about what works and what doesn’t in trauma resuscitation, some are looking a return to whole blood. Dr. Mark Yazer is helping to lead that discussion, specifically to the use of low-titer group O cold-stored whole blood, which he calls “the ideal pre- and early in-hospital resuscitation fluid!” In this episode, Mark returns to outline his case for that outrageous statement! NOTE: CE credit has expired for this episode.

Join Christine Cserti-Gazdewich, a transfusion medicine specialist and assistant professor at the University of Toronto, as she sheds light on febrile non-hemolytic transfusion reactions. Discover why these reactions deserve more attention than they usually receive and how they can impact patient safety and hospital resources. Christine discusses the nuances of hemovigilance, the importance of accurate classification, and the persistent risks from leukocyte reduction. Her insights aim to elevate understanding and improve practices in transfusion medicine.

Hemolytic Disease of the Fetus and Newborn (HDFN) seems simple, but there are lots of pitfalls! Dr. Greg Denomme is your guide to HDFN clarity!

Justin Kreuter, a pathologist at Mayo Clinic specializing in blood banking, shares revolutionary ideas about learning. He challenges traditional lecture formats, advocating for interactive methods that enhance retention. Kreuter highlights the importance of fostering inquiry and self-directed learning in medical education. He discusses innovative strategies like flipped classrooms and spaced practice to improve understanding of complex topics. Additionally, he introduces "Transfusion Tunes," a creative project using cartoons to educate on blood transfusions.

New paradigms in trauma transfusion require prompt delivery of plasma in increased amounts. This has led blood banks to start using group A plasma instead of AB in these emergency settings. But, is the practice safe? Drs. Stevens and Dunbar share new evidence!    

Yes, platelets are tiny, but they can cause lots of problems and controversy! Dr. Rick Kaufman (lead author of the AABB Clinical Practice Guideline on platelet transfusion), joins the podcast to discuss what the evidence shows and what we can and can't say about platelet transfusion. The lack of evidence might really surprise you!