Portland Community College | Portland, Oregon

Upon successful completion of the course, students should be able to:

1. Apply appropriate and effective decision-making skills regarding advanced blood bank and blood transfusions.

2. Explain commonly utilized procedures and interpret results in a blood bank setting.

3. Recognize normal and abnormal test results and correlate them with appropriate pathologic conditions to accurately advise health care providers.

4. Explain how to adapt immunohematology laboratory techniques and procedures  when errors when discrepancies or errors are encountered.

This online course is delivered through lecture/discussion, audio-visual presentations, handouts, web-based instructional media, and other educationally sound practices. Hands-on laboratory content will be learned through on-the-job training, with classroom instruction focusing on the theoretical background necessary to perform laboratory tasks. There is no laboratory component in this course.

Assessment methods may include written examinations, homework assignments, quizzes, and discussion activities. Evaluation will focus on students’ understanding of theoretical knowledge, problem-solving skills, communication, and comprehension of clinical laboratory protocols, safety regulations, and quality assurance measures. Practical lab skills will be assessed during on-the-job training, rather than in the classroom.

Course Themes:

Blood Groups

• Clinically significant non-ABO blood groups: their inheritance, genotypes, phenotypes, and antibody production and identification

• Differentiate low-incident and high-incident antigens and their relation to antibody frequency when selecting blood for transfusion

Testing Methods, Principles, and Sources of Error

• The antihuman globulin test, antibody screen, antibody identification, and crossmatch

• Blood bank reagents, their limitations and expected results

Hemolytic Disease of the Newborn

• Common blood groups involved in Hemolytic Disease of the Newborn

• The process of RBC sensitization

• Isolation and identification of antibodies associated with HDN

• Test results associated with ABO and Rh hemolytic disease

• Criteria for exchange transfusions and the blood bank tests involved

• Anti-Rh treatment and criteria for administration

Component Therapy

• Criteria used for acceptability of blood donors

• Anticoagulants and preservatives used in blood collection for transfusion purposes and their outdating

• General methods of production, tests involved, clinical indications for administration, and shelf life for components: whole blood, packed red cells, platelets, leukocyte-poor red cells, deglycerolized red cells, fresh frozen plasma, irradiated red cells (or platelets) and cryoprecipitate

• Types of transfusion reactions, their clinical symptoms, and laboratory methods for investigation

Principles of Gel Testing

• Reagent selection, cell suspensions, equipment use, interpretation of results and sources of error

Course Skills

Cognitive Skills

• Explain immunohematology theory supporting test principles

• Integrate knowledge and make informed judgments about immunohematology test results in the clinical setting

Performance and Professional Skills:

• Demonstrate initiative, adaptability, and professionalism through classroom participation and discussions.

• Engage with course materials independently, showing motivation and commitment to learning.

Safety Awareness Skills:

• Recognize laboratory safety equipment and proper usage.

• Understand the importance of safety measures in preventing accidents and exposure to pathogens.