Better Blood Transfusion - Continuing Education Programme

www.learnbloodtransfusion.org.uk

Learn Blood Transfusion is an e-learning programme developed by the Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service, Effective Use of Blood (EUB) Group as part of their Better Blood Transfusion continuing education programme. The programme has been designed to assist practitioners involved in the transfusion process to provide consistently high standards of care.

Level 1: Safe Transfusion Practice is aimed at all staff groups involved in the administration of blood components, including medical and nursing staff, operating department practitioners, clinical support workers and porters.

Level 2: Blood Component Use focuses on the constituents of blood components and plasma derivatives and summarises the indications for use, therapeutic risks and benefits, and management of adverse events. It has been designed for practitioners for who regularly use blood and blood components in their day-to-day practice.

Level 3: Appropriate Blood Use has been especially designed for doctors and nurses who are regularly involved in the management of patients requiring transfusion support. The unit consists of four scenarios dealing with the transfusion management of a patient, for example, experiencing a massive haemorrhage or requiring a total hip revision arthroplasty. The patient scenarios address issues such as the use of transfusion guidelines and triggers, informed consent and alternatives to allogeneic transfusion and are supported by a number of work packs.

The aims of the programme are to:

• improve patient care
• reduce risk
• become safe practitioners
• learn about safe transfusion practice.

The programme will appeal to anyone involved in blood transfusion or who is interested in safe transfusion practice.

Incorporated into the e-learning package is an On-line Recording and Assessment System (ORAS Gold). ORAS allows the leaner to record their scores on completion of the module assessment and print a certificate as evidence of their theoretical and/or clinical competence. ORAS also allows authorised personnel (Trust Administrator) to issue reports from the system showing usage, assessments and modules completed by speciality, staff group or different grades.

Access to the package (including ORAS registration) is free for staff in Scotland and England (for further details (pdf) click here).

Learn Cell Salvage

This e-learning package provides an introduction to blood conservation in general and Intraoperative Cell Salvage (ICS) in particular.

The course is aimed at a multidisciplinary audience, including operating department practitioners (ODPs), nurses, anaesthetists, surgeons and perfusionists. It will help them to learn and understand the background to ICS. This online learning package, with its accompanying knowledge assessments, should be completed prior to undertaking practical training. We are currently developing an assessment component.

It may also be valuable for surgeons, anaesthetists and haematologists as a source of information on intraoperative cell salvage.

This site is under development and the Editorial Board would welcome any feedback from users. Please send your comments to Kath Hearnshaw who will forward.

Click on the icon to start the course.