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6.1.4 Quality Control of Blood Storage

This standard operating procedure outlines quality control procedures for blood storage. It is the responsibility of technical, nursing, and associated staff to ensure blood and components are stored at recommended temperatures. Storage equipment must maintain critical temperatures and have alarm systems to detect variations. Staff must record storage temperatures every 8 hours and monitor for proper functioning of alarms, cleaning, and power supply backups. Adherence to storage guidelines helps maintain therapeutic efficacy and prevents bacterial overgrowth in blood components.

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560 views

6.1.4 Quality Control of Blood Storage

This standard operating procedure outlines quality control procedures for blood storage. It is the responsibility of technical, nursing, and associated staff to ensure blood and components are stored at recommended temperatures. Storage equipment must maintain critical temperatures and have alarm systems to detect variations. Staff must record storage temperatures every 8 hours and monitor for proper functioning of alarms, cleaning, and power supply backups. Adherence to storage guidelines helps maintain therapeutic efficacy and prevents bacterial overgrowth in blood components.

Uploaded by

BALAJI
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Model SOP

Standard Operating Procedure

Name of the facility / activity : Quality control of Blood Storage

SOP no. Effective Date Pages Prepared by Authorised by


6.1.4 27-11-2000 4
Version Review Period Date of Review Reviewed by Number of copies
VI 2 years 01-01-2015 10
LOCATION : Blood Component Laboratory & Serology Lab.
SUBJECT : Quality control of Blood Storage.
FUNCTI FUNCTION : Ensure that therapeutic efficacy of whole blood components is maintained for
the stated Shell life.
DISTRIBUTION: Supervisor Blood bank
Master File

1. SCOPE & APPLICATION:


Safe storage and transportation of blood is needed to:
1. Ensure that therapeutic efficacy of whole blood components is maintained for the
stated Shell life.
2. Minimize and prevent any bacterial overgrowth
Equipments are integral part of any blood bank and their regular checking and
calibrations are important to maintain quality of testing as well as producing blood
product.

2. RESPONSIBILITY:
It is the responsibility technical, nursing and all other associated staff of blood bank to
ensure storage of blood and prepared components at recommended temperatures to
ensure the quality for all components as per the guidelines of drugs and cosmetic act.

Prepared By Approved By
3. PROCEDURE:
A. Quality Control of Blood Storage
The importance of correct storage and transportation of blood and blood
components has been emphasized. It is imperative that all laboratory personnel
are well-oriented to maintain and check the equipment necessary for storage and
transport. Some of the checks need to be carried out daily while others are done
weekly or monthly as indicated. Simple precautions such as placing the
refrigeration unit in the coolest part of the building with good air circulation
around it, should always be taken.

B. Monitoring the temperature

Blood storage equipment must be able to maintain the critical temperature


uniformly and be equipped with an alarm system to register any variation in
temperature.
Mostly refrigerators meant specifically for blood storage are equipped with an
alarm system or temperature recording device.
It is mandatory for the staff of transfusion laboratory to maintain a daily
temperature record of all storage equipment. A good thermometer can be used
to record the inside temperature of the unit at 8 hourly intervals. A.
temperature record sheet as shown must be affixed on the outside of each unit.
8 hourly temperature record
Date Time Shift Signature
Temperature

Maximum and minimum thermometers can also be used to detect how low or
high the temperature had reached. Care should be taken to record the
temperature of individuals shelves as usually the lowest shelf of storage
refrigerator has the highest temperature. If the temperature in the lowest
shelf is constantly above 8oC, it should not be used for storage of blood units.

Prepared By Approved By
Similarly the freezer compartment and the door of a domestic refrigerator
should not be used for storage of blood bags.

Never overstuff the refrigerator. Arrange the blood bags upright in the racks
and allow for sufficient space for cold air to circulate.
Only open the refrigerator when necessary i.e. to take out or put in blood
units.
Do not keep food or drinks in the 'Blood Storage' refrigerator.
Check for ice formation on the evaporator every week. If necessary, defrost
the fridge.
Clean the compressor and condenser plate with a soil cloth every month.
Check the alarm system of the refrigerator / freezer unit every month.

C. Power cuts
o It is important to have all storage equipment linked to alternative power
source. If this is not possible and long periods of power cuts are expected,
alternative space for transferring the blood units should always be planned.
All personnel in the blood transfusion centre should be aware of the exact
procedure to be followed in cases of extended power cuts.
o The 'hold over time' i.e. the time it takes for the refrigerator or freezer to
reach temperatures above -80oC or -20oC is usually between 90 minutes to 2
hrs, therefore in case of power failures lasting over this period the blood
must be shifted carefully to all alternative storage space or stored in cold
boxes packed with ice.

4. DOCUMENTATION:
Maintain the record file and registers daily

Prepared By Approved By
5. REFERENCES:
i. Technical Manual of the American Association of Blood Banks 15th edition
2005.
ii. Introduction to Transfusion Medicine Zarin Bharucha and D.M. Chouhan; 1st
Edition, 1990.
iii. Training module for laboratory technologists. National AIDS Control
Organization, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Govt. of India publication,
1995.

6. END OF DOCUMENT.

Prepared By Approved By

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