SUBIDO, MARIEL C.

BSMLS-IV

SOP FOR BLOOD BANK SECTION

Purpose
To assure the availability of a safe blood unit with compatibility testing, storage,
and distribution facilities.
Scope
To store and distribute collected blood to patients, as well as to organize blood
donation camps, provide blood donation counseling, and for a different blood test.

1.1 Blood collection

 Ensure that the vacutainer tubes are properly tagged in accordance with
your own standard operating procedures.
 Collect blood samples in accordance with the institution's standard clinical
practices.
 For such camps, a record must be kept detailing the blood obtained, donor
information, and so on.
1.2 Donor selection
 Only voluntary, non-remunerated, low-risk, safe, and healthy donors will
be accepted.
 A concise and easy-to-understand questionnaire in English and local
languages should be provided for the donor to complete.
 Donor registration personnel should provide help to illiterate donors.
 Demographic information such as the donor's name and address, as well
as the date and time of the donor's selection and donation, should be
recorded.
 Donor consent should be acquired in writing once the process, potential
adverse responses, and tests performed on the given blood have been
explained to them.
 The potential donor must look to be in good physical condition.
 Blood should be collected in 350 ml from donors weighing 45-55 kg and
450 ml from those weighing 55 kg and above.
 During pregnancy and during the first 12 months following full term
delivery, as well as during nursing, prospective donors should be avoided.
Donors who have had abortions in the second and third trimesters should
wait six months before donating. 
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BSMLS-IV

TABLE 1.1: Some Reasons for Blood Donation Deferral or Denial

Donation
Reason Comment
Outcome

Includes any positive test for HIV, ever

High-risk activity includes
AIDS or participation in
Denial  Intravenous (IV) drug use (ever)
certain high-risk activities*
 Engaged in sex for compensation
(ever)

The FDA has changed recommendations

for certain high-risk activities from denial
to deferral for 12 months from last such
activity. Activities include
 Men who have sex with men
Activities that increase risk of
Deferral (MSM) and women who have sex
HIV infection*
with MSM
 Sexual contact with a person who
ever had a positive HIV test, ever
engaged in sex for compensation,
or ever used IV drugs

Anemia Deferral Donation permitted after anemia resolves

Bovine insulin use (because People who have used

of risk of variant Creutzfeldt- Denial bovine insulin since 1980: Ineligible to
Jacob disease) donate

Some people with mild, treatable forms

Cancer Denial (eg, small skin cancers): Possibly able to
donate

Congenital bleeding disorder Denial —

Drugs (selected) Deferral Waiting period depends on drug, for

example:
 Finasteride: Defer for 1 month
after last dose
 Isotretinoin: Defer for 1 month
after last dose
 Dutasteride: Defer for 6 months
after last dose
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BSMLS-IV

Donation
Reason Comment
Outcome

 Acitretin: Defer for 3 years after

last dose
 Etretinate: Defer indefinitely

Exposure to hepatitis Deferral Wait 12 months after possible exposure

Ineligible to donate if ever diagnosed with

Hepatitis B or C Denial viral hepatitis B or C, or if ever tested
positive for viral hepatitis B or C

Defer donation until blood pressure is

Hypertension Deferral
controlled

Wait 3 years after treatment for malaria

Malaria or exposure to or living in an area in which malaria is
Deferral
malaria endemic; wait 12 months after visit to an
area in which malaria is endemic

Military personnel residing UK, Germany, Belgium, Netherlands: ≥ 6

on US bases in Europe at risk months between 1980 and 1990
Denial
for variant Creutzfeldt-Jacob Elsewhere in Europe: ≥ 6 months between
disease 1980 and 1996

Pregnancy Deferral Wait 6 weeks after giving birth

Severe asthma Denial —

Severe heart disease Denial —

UK: Cumulative stay of > 3 months

between 1980 and 1996
Stay in UK or Europe for
Europe (except France): Cumulative stay
people at risk of variant Denial
of ≥ 5 years since 1980
Creutzfeldt-Jacob disease
France: Cumulative stay of > 5 years since
1980

Tattoo Deferral Wait 12 months

Transfusion that can increase Deferral Wait 12 months

SUBIDO, MARIEL C.
BSMLS-IV

Donation
Reason Comment
Outcome

risk of variant Creutzfeldt- Recipients of any blood product since

Denial
Jacob disease 1980 in the UK

Waiting period depends on vaccination:

 Toxoids or synthetic or killed viral,
bacterial, or rickettsial vaccines† in
symptom-free and afebrile
donors: No deferral
Vaccinations (selected) Deferral
 Measles, mumps, polio (Sabin), or
typhoid (oral) vaccines‡: Defer for
2 weeks
 Rubella or varicella vaccines‡:
Defer for 4 weeks

For recent Zika virus infection, the US FDA

recommends a 120-day deferral from
resolution of symptoms or the last
Zika virus infection Deferral positive test, whichever is longer
The FDA no longer recommends
screening donors for risk factors; instead,
all donor blood is to be tested for Zika

1.3 Collection of Blood from donors

 Each bag is labeled with the date and the donor's information.
 The blood must be maintained in a temporary cold storage/container or
appropriately labeled in the untested blood area once it has been received
from the donor.
 Blood must be extracted from the donor by a competent physician or a
trained assistant under the direction of a certified physician.
2.1 Processing of blood specimens (Serum tubes)
 Rack the tubes upright at room temperature for 30 minutes to encourage
clotting.
 Invert the blood tubes gently (10 to 15 times)
 Record the time of centrifugation
 The specimen tubes should be placed immediately after centrifugation in a
rack in a fridge or cold box until aliquoting and freezing. From this point
on, samples should be handled with care to avoid disrupting the gel seal.
SUBIDO, MARIEL C.
BSMLS-IV

2.2 Processing of EDTA Plasma tube

 Within 4 hours of receiving the plasma tubes, the specimen should be
processed.
 Invert the tubes gently (10 to 15 times) and then place them in the
centrifuge
 Record the time of centrifugation
 The specimen tubes should be placed immediately after centrifugation in a
rack in a fridge or cold box until aliquoting and freezing. From this point
on, samples should be handled with care to avoid disrupting the gel seal.
2.3 Processing of RNA tube
 Before freezing, keep upright for 2 hours at room temperature. The
PAXgene Blood RNA tube has a total volume of 9.4 ml, with 6.9 ml of
proprietary RNA stabilization agent.
 The sample should not be centrifuged.
2.4 Processing of Whole Blood tube
 Place in a cold box until completely frozen.
 The sample should not be centrifuged.
3.1 Labelling
 A system is in place to guarantee that all storage places are labeled and
that blood is only transferred to the final container once all required testing
has been done.
 Blood group O – Blue
 Blood group A - Yellow
 Blood group B – Pink
 Blood group AB – White
 Name of the product, whole blood or component or intended component.
 The numeric or alphanumeric identification.
 The date of collection and expiry.
4.1 Biosafety and waste Disposal
 All laboratory employees should be aware of the risks of working in a
blood bank laboratory, particularly the risk of viral infection transmission.
Skin abrasion or puncture, as well as bodily orifices, are possible entry
points for infection.
 Following adequate testing, reventive inoculation of blood bank workers
against Hepatitis-B infection should be required.
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BSMLS-IV

 Proper hand hygiene before leaving the laboratory, before and after
eating.
 Wear proper Personal Protective Equipment
 The sample left in the tubing after blood collection is collected in test tubes
for infectious disease screening and cross-matching.
 The tube piece holding needles was cut down and disposed of in sharps
disposal containers.
 All such components or blood shall be disposed off as per Bio Medical
Waste rule.

References:
SOP_EMC_EAU-RF-Collection-of-blood.pdf (uroweb.org)
SUBIDO, MARIEL C.
BSMLS-IV

Donor refreshment for NACO Supported Blood Bank | Assam State Blood Transfusion Council |
Government Of Assam, India

Table: Some Reasons for Blood Donation Deferral or Denial - MSD Manual Professional Edition
(msdmanuals.com)

http://nbtc.naco.gov.in/index.php?/page/bloodbankstandard/