The use of a World Health Organization Transfusion Basic Information Sheet to evaluate transfusion practice in...

To assess the feasibility of using the World Health Organization (WHO) Transfusion Basic Information Sheet as a bedside tool for data collection and assessing transfusion practice.

A prospective 6-month audit of all transfusion episodes using the tool.

Eight hundred and twenty-two forms were completed, capturing data on 59.7% of transfusion episodes. Completion of data fields was > 80%, except for the clinician's transfusion targets that were documented in only 58.5% of cases. Twenty per cent of patients received single red cell unit transfusions.

The Basic Information Sheet can be incorporated into bedside clinical practice. We have identified the need to encourage clinicians to determine and document their transfusion targets before prescribing blood components.