Variable pre-transfusion patient identification practices exist in the perioperative setting.

Area of Science:

• Healthcare quality and safety
• Surgical patient identification
• Transfusion medicine

Background:

• The operating room (OR) is a high-risk area for transfusion errors, as identified by hemovigilance systems.
• Patient identification is critical for ensuring transfusion safety, with identification bands (ID bands) being a primary method.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the frequency of inaccessible patient ID bands in the OR.
• To identify alternative patient identification procedures used when ID bands are inaccessible.
• To assess the impact of inaccessible ID bands on pre-transfusion bedside checks.

Main Methods:

• A prospective study tracking patient ID band accuracy, location, and accessibility over three months.
• Evaluation of surgical team compliance with transfusion policies, specifically bedside checks.
• Observation of patient identification methods during transfusions in the OR.

Main Results:

• Only 44% of patients had accessible ID bands intraoperatively; 6.3% had bands removed.
• Cardiovascular and general surgery procedures showed the lowest ID band accessibility rates (19.2% and 14.8%, respectively).
• In 64 of 77 observed transfusions, ID bands were inaccessible; alternative methods like addressograph cards were used 97.4% of the time.

Conclusions:

• Intraoperative ID band inaccessibility presents significant limitations for consistent pre-transfusion checks in surgical patients.
• The current system of patient ID banding is insufficient for ensuring transfusion safety in the OR.
• A continuously affixed and accessible patient identification source is recommended for the OR.