We brought the quality of the product to the Blood Utilization/Conservation Committee. Our cell saver technicians did a correlation analysis using the recommendations I received at a conference (Multiple modalities yield model outcomes) These were recommended as a point of specialty in Blood Conservation. The manufacturers will give you indicators like visual inspection etc. Some indicators like current rate of processing so you can determine do we have a 1.3% discard rate - put in blood bank not used. Competency was an internal assessment by our Quality Care Management dept. that I work out of and we looked at certification opportunities for our techs. There is a National Registry forming that we learned of. This process also gave us the opportunity for Performance Improvement and the ability to go to a superior machine that will give us more capabilities and a superior product while reducing cost!
As far as the quality of the red cell product - we did a correlation analysis for three months...
Procedure for Validating Crit-Line
There will be twenty samples taken from each cell saver machine and a correlation analysis will be done with the lab to validate crit-line on each machine.
Supplies Needed:
Cell Saver processing kit
Cuvette which will read your crit from the processor
3cc syringe
3ml sampling tube from the lab which contains Hemogard
Analysis chart to record data
Process:

1. Start processing a case
2. When the first bowl empties, write down what the crit reading is from the cell saver machine and take a 5cc syringe and fill up a 3ml test tube which contains hemogard with a sample to take to the lab, (the test tubes will be pre labeled with the machine number and the bowl size).
3. Take sample to the lab as soon as possible
4. A lab tech will run the sample and write down the results on the chart provided by the cell saver technicians.
5. You must take 10 samples from a 135 bowl and 10 samples from a 250 bowl.
6. After you have taken 20 samples from the cell saver machine, the crit-line is then validated unless you have failure with the crit-line and the line has to be changed out by the manufacturer.

(we did both cell cytometry and spun hct.)

Johnean Hansen