Rajasthan Govt Hospitals flout blood transfusion protocols
Pregnant Woman Dies After Blood Transfusion Error at Jaipur Hospital
Jaipur: The Rajasthan State Human Rights Commission (RSHRC) has directed government hospitals across the state to implement strict patient identification procedures, particularly during blood transfusions. However, hospitals have reportedly continued to overlook key safety protocols for blood transfusions. The issue came to light after a recent case in Bikaner where a patient was given an incompatible blood type.
According to The Times of India, a similar lapse was identified on December 17 at PBM Hospital, prompting SP Medical College to reiterate instructions to strictly enforce the RSHRC’s eight-year-old guidelines to prevent further incidents. “We have directed all departments to fully implement in their respective departments the necessary guidelines issued by RSHRC for safe blood transfusion,” said a senior SP Medical College official.
The commission has directed the hospitals to ensure proper patient-identification procedures, including tying a ribbon on each patient’s wrist containing complete personal details, along with maintaining clear records of the personnel who collect blood samples. However, these mandatory checks are still being ignored in routine transfusions at government facilities, contributing to at least five instances of incorrect blood transfusion over the last two years. The RSHRC has also stated that, wherever possible, the responsibility of transporting blood samples to and from blood banks should rest with doctors to minimise errors.
All the personnel involved in the process, including the person depositing the sample at the blood bank and the person bringing blood from there, as well as the doctor transfusing blood to the patient, should provide their details properly to be recorded and displayed in the specific patient's bed head ticket.
The doctor should match the blood that is to be transfused with the sample before conducting the transfusion procedure, and the doctor should ensure to register this effect in the bed head ticket. Hospital superintendents have to supervise the blood transfusion process to ensure an error-free transfusion.
All department heads have received a warning stating that in case any error is detected in the blood transfusion process, they will be liable for it. All department heads have been instructed to arrange meetings with resident doctors, nursing staff, attendants, lab technicians, etc, to direct all to follow the guidelines.
