Hey everyone,
on another thread a while ago I had the impression that bedside testing for AB0 compatibility before starting a blood transfusion was not common in the US. In my country it's standard procedure and you can even lose your license if you don't do it (and something goes wrong).
In case you don't know what I mean: We first draw blood for the lab, which determines the blood type and cross-matches the donor's and the patient's blood. Then, just before starting the transfusion, we do another simple AB0 test that can be done at the bedside. We draw a few drops of blood, put them onto a test card and it either clots or it doesn't (depending on the blood type). Only if the reaction from the patient matches the reaction from the donor blood, will we start the transfusion. You're doing all this without leaving the patient's side, so you take the blood directly from the patient you're about to give the transfusion to. If you do this properly, it almost eliminates the chance of an AB0 mismatch, because there can be no mix ups.
Did I get the wrong impression here, is this standard procedure in the US as well? And what about other countries?
Source: Original link
