Applications in Transfusion Medicine

Abstract

Abstract Introduction The recognition, treatment, and monitoring of blood products within patient care often requires a team-based approach. To prepare learners for the clinical setting we created this interprofessional educational activity for beginning students in health sciences, including medical, nursing, and physician's assistant students. Methods In this team-based learning (TBL) exercise, students apply basic principles of transfusion medicine in health care settings, recognizing when and how blood products are utilized, and what problems may arise in their usage. Results This work was implemented for a teaching session at the American Society for Clinical Pathology annual meeting in 2013 at a workshop on teaching methods and representing interdisciplinary participation by medical technology students, medical students, nurses, and physicians. The session received an overall rating of 4.4 out of 5, and 92% of the participants stated that they would recommend the session to a colleague. Feedback indicated that sufficient time of at least 2 hours be allotted for completion of this exercise. Discussion This work has also been piloted as an online exercise for participation by medical students at Mercer University to reinforce skills in laboratory medicine. So far, there has been participation by 10% of the second-year class, and is ongoing.

Keywords

• Transfusion Reaction
• Transfusion Medicine
• Blood Banks
• Blood Donors
• Blood Grouping and Crossmatching
• Transfusion-Associated Infections