Implementation of a Mobile Blood Transfusion Service [virtual]

Anemia in the elderly is an often-undiagnosed condition that is associated with increased falls, confusion, dementia, hospitalizations, and mortality. Anemia is most commonly treated via transfusion of red blood cells. Historically, patients residing in skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) requiring transfusions had to be transported via ambulance to either an outpatient transfusion center or an emergency department to receive this care, resulting in disrupted care, increased exposure to nosocomial infections, hospital admission for the patient, and lost revenue and increased health care costs for the SNF. Transfusing red blood cells at the SNF bedside is a viable solution to this problem. This presentation will describe the implementation of a mobile transfusion from its inception to implementation, with initial findings of the service in the first year of operation, including the discussion of several case examples. The goal of the presentation is to make a positive impact on current practice that providing transfusions as the bedside in a SNF is a safe, cost-effective practice that should be considered for the SNF patient with anemia.

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of this session, participants will be able to: 

  1. Describe the process of blood transfusion in the SNF setting. 
  2. Describe the costs related to receiving a blood transfusion at the bedside versus the hospital setting. 
  3. Describe the most common transfusion reactions.
  4. Explain the indications for blood transfusion.
  5. Assess a patient for blood transfusion reactions and their response to the transfusion.

Contact Hours: 1
CRNI® RUs: 2

​Christy Smith, PhD, MSN, RN

Dr. Christy Smith received her BSN and MSN from East Tennessee State University (ETSU). She worked as an oncology and pediatric intensive care nurse before working as the pediatric provider for the Johnson City Downtown Clinic with ETSU. Dr. Smith worked as a nurse practitioner in outpatient radiology, then transitioned to nursing education, where she taught nursing for several years while pursuing her PhD in Nursing from the Medical University of South Carolina. Dr. Smith most recently served as the director of professional development for Renuven Health Partners. She brings a wealth of nursing knowledge and experience to Versafusion, providing oversight of nursing services and direct patient care.


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Live event: 04/03/2023 at 4:00 PM (EDT) You must register to access.
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