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Return of Blood Components and Products

1. Blood/blood products should not be portered until the patient is ready to be infused with the product. This will decrease confusion, maintain patient safety and decrease product wastage.

2. Commence the transfusion as soon as possible upon receipt of the product and complete the transfusion within 4 hours of spiking the bag. Blood components and products with transfusion tag attached must be returned immediately (within 30 minutes) to Transfusion Medicine if the decision is made not to transfuse. Exception: Patient care units that have a controlled blood product storage refrigerator. (See Blood Storage Refrigerators in Patient Care Units).

3. Blood removed from the Transfusion Medicine department for longer than 30 minutes, then returned must be discarded. Exception: Issued blood products that have been packed in CLS transport containers.

4. Make the Transfusion Medicine staff very aware when returning product to the department.

5. Make arrangements for re-issue of the product if required.

6. Platelet products returned to TM may be reissued providing the integrity of the product has not been compromised and they have not expired.