Blood Bank Guy Essentials Podcast

106CE: Essentials of HDFN with Jen Andrews and Molly Sherwood Oct 5, 2026 59:38 CE episode! Hemolytic disease of the fetus and newborn (HDFN) feels intimidating to learners because it sits at the intersection of blood banking, obstetrics, maternal-fetal medicine, and pediatrics. In this episode, I'm joined by Dr. Jen Andrews and Molly Sherwood to make this complex topic much more approachable. Jen brings the perspective of a pediatric hematologist and transfusion medicine spe

105CE: What's So Scary About Obstetric Hemorrhage? with Kerry O'Brien Apr 29, 2026 57:36 CE episode! This episode explores the recognition and management of obstetric hemorrhage, with a focus on real-world, high-stakes scenarios that can evolve rapidly and unexpectedly. Through practical, evidence-based discussion, it highlights key risk factors, early warning signs, and the importance of coordinated, interprofessional response among obstetric, nursing, anesthesia, transfusion medicin

104: Essentials of Transfusion Support in HPC Transplant with Brian Adkins Sep 11, 2024 57:35 Hematopoietic progenitor cell (HPC) transplant continues to be used in more and more situations. In this episode, Dr. Brian Adkins outlines the many issues surrounding transfusion support in HPC transplant patients (yes, including the challenge of ABO-incompatible HPC transplants!).

103: Glaucomflecken! with Will and Kristin Flanary Aug 11, 2023 48:17 Dr. Will Flanary is an ophthalmologist and stand-up comic who moonlights as the hilarious "Dr. Glaucomflecken" on social media. The Glaucomflecken videos have earned him an enormous worldwide following, as he has gently parodied physicians of many specialties (including pathology). He and his wife Kristin (aka "Lady Glaucomflecken") join me to share their inspirational story, with NO blood bank le

102CE: Learn to Speak "Reference Lab" with Jan Hamilton Jun 23, 2023 58:38 Understanding reference lab techniques like adsorption, elution, and enzymes feels like learning a new language! Jan Hamilton is here with an incredible teaching interview to help you learn to speak "reference lab." Continuing education for this episode has EXPIRED. See BBGuy.org/CE or AABB.org/BBGuy for current CE-eligible episodes.

101CE: Look Before You Leap with Rich Haspel May 5, 2023 53:44 Advances in the practice of Transfusion Medicine happen regularly, and it can be difficult for both learners and those with more experience to keep up with the latest information. Further, many learners (and more "seasoned" types!) lack experience to evaluate strengths and weaknesses of the evidence in the medical literature. Dr. Rich Haspel joins me to describe how to evaluate evidence in the med

100CE: Pearls of Wisdom Mar 29, 2023 01:01:28 To celebrate the 100th episode of Blood Bank Guy Essentials, Dr. Chaffin invites multiple previous guests (plus one brand new one!) to share brief "Pearls of Wisdom" with you. Learners of every level are sure to find Transfusion Medicine tips and tools to help care for patients in better ways. Thanks to all who have listened to this podcast in the past 7 years! Continuing education for this episod

099: Rh Immune Globulin (Teaching Episode) Feb 1, 2023 53:52 Rh Immune Globulin prevents at-risk moms from making anti-D, but calculating proper dose can be challenging. In fact, numerous reports have suggested that we mess this up a lot! This episode is a teaching session with me and one of the pathology residents at Loma Linda University, Jessica Hudson. In it, I try to simplify the calculations and discuss some of the mechanics and details around the use

098CE: "Simply REDS" with Steve Kleinman and Cassandra Josephson Jul 18, 2022 56:46 If a research project has been going on for over 30 years, you would think it's probably pretty good, right? Well, that's how long the REDS research project, sponsored by the US National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) has been breaking new ground in Transfusion Medicine. The two co-chairs of the fourth phase, REDS-IV-P, are here to explain why the best is yet to come! Continuing educatio

097CE: Acute Normovolemic Hemodilution (ANH) with Steve Frank Jun 29, 2022 49:17 For decades, medical personnel have been aware of the technique of "Acute Normovolemic Hemodilution (ANH)," the collection of blood immediately before surgery followed by infusion near the end. Dr. Steve Frank and his colleagues in the Bloodless Medicine Program at Johns Hopkins believe ANH is an underutilized strategy. He joins the BBGuy Essentials Podcast to share the details of ANH, and show ho

096CE: Navigating Blood Shortages with Claudia Cohn Mar 30, 2022 54:34 Blood shortages happen, but the one associated with COVID-19 is unique (and severe!). AABB Chief Medical Officer Dr. Claudia Cohn explains why and gives practical survival tips. Continuing education for this episode has EXPIRED. See BBGuy.org/CE or AABB.org/BBGuy for current CE-eligible episodes.

095CE: What is Liquid Plasma? with Chris Gresens Mar 9, 2022 54:11 Plasma product names are confusing, but few are as misunderstood as Liquid Plasma. Dr. Chris Gresens explains why LP might be perfect for your transfusion service. Continuing education for this episode has EXPIRED. See BBGuy.org/CE or AABB.org/BBGuy for current CE-eligible episodes.

094CE: Thalassemia Essentials with Sujit Sheth Mar 2, 2022 53:06 When most United States-based healthcare providers think of a hemoglobinopathy, sickle cell disease is the first to come to mind. That is understandable, given how frequently that disease is present in the US. However, worldwide, the various forms of thalassemia are a MASSIVE problem. Dr. Sujit Sheth takes us through the details around this deadly global disease, and how transfusion professionals

093CE: The Mighty MMA with Sandy Nance Oct 13, 2021 55:52 Usually, red cell alloantibodies are simple (find an antibody, give antigen-negative blood), but occasionally, some of them don't follow the rules! "Antibodies of variable clinical significance" act differently in different patients, sometimes causing hemolysis and sometimes not. They can be very hard to manage, especially because almost all blood donors are incompatible. The Monocyte Monolayer As

092: When Platelet Transfusion Might Not Be Wise with Ruchika Goel Oct 6, 2021 53:06 Platelets have been used to save the lives of patients with low platelet counts for decades. For the most part, they are considered a safe and effective means to correct the problem of a patient not having enough platelets of their own. Despite that, we have wondered for decades about whether or not platelets should be given to patients with certain diseases where their platelets are being removed

091: Wholly Whole Blood, the Sequel! with Mark Yazer Jun 2, 2021 43:03 In 2017, Dr. Mark Yazer appeared on this podcast to discuss the burgeoning interest in "Low-titer Group O Whole Blood (LTOWB)" for massive transfusions, particularly in trauma settings. Since then, more data and experience are available to guide the use of whole blood for trauma transfusion. Dr. Yazer updates us on the latest whole blood and incompatible plasma transfusion data, and clears up once

090CE: RHD Genotyping; We Can do Better! with Sue Johnson May 19, 2021 55:23 Despite guidance in a 2015 publication from international experts in immunohematology and transfusion medicine, many clinicians and laboratorians have yet to integrate RHD genotyping into routine practice when a patient's RhD serologic typing is weaker than expected. In this interview, international immunohematology expert Sue Johnson shows us how we can do better! Continuing education for this ep

089CE: The Transfused and the Breathless with Christine Cserti-Gazdewich Mar 24, 2021 56:50 Transfusion reactions that involve the heart and/or lungs, especially TACO and TRALI, are responsible for more transfusion deaths than any other entity. In this interview, Dr. Cserti-Gazdewich focuses on these two reactions and gives tips and strategies to identify, manage, and prevent them. Continuing education for this episode has EXPIRED. See BBGuy.org/CE or AABB.org/BBGuy for current CE-eligib

088: Warm Autoantibody Best Practices with Alyssa Ziman and Meghan Delaney Jan 27, 2021 55:49 Warm autoantibodies have a well-deserved reputation as tough challenges, creating unfamiliar situations for both clinical and laboratory staff. I interviewed the authors of two recent papers that outlined best practices in this situation to gain some clarity and help!

087CE: Transfusion-transmitted Infections with Suchi Pandey Dec 16, 2020 58:10 Blood transfusion is less likely to transmit infections today than ever. Through a combination of screening questions, donor testing, and direct treatment of blood products, the vast majority of opportunities for transfusion-transmitted infections are eliminated. In this learner-focused interview, Dr. Suchi Pandey from Stanford outlines current strategies to keep blood safe. Continuing education f

086CE: Scary Stories from the Transfusion Service with Mark Fung and Jay Hudgins Oct 30, 2020 55:49 Every now and then, the routine practice of Blood Banking/Transfusion Medicine gets intimidating. A difficult patient situation arises here, an impossible choice looms there. What do you do when there are no easy answers? Drs Mark Fung and Jay Hudgins are expert Transfusion Medicine practitioners who have years of experience dealing with these "scary" situations! In this special Halloween 2020 epi

085CE: What to do When Everything is Incompatible with Jill Storry Jun 17, 2020 54:38 Every now and then, when a transfusion service does a pretransfusion workup, they find that the patient's plasma is incompatible with EVERY other red cell! In other words, NOTHING is compatible! These situations are intimidating, and can lead to delays in transfusion. Dr. Jill Storry is an international immunohematology expert, and she shares practical tips for what to do and how to recognize the

084: COVID-19 Convalescent Plasma with Pampee Young and Ralph Vassallo May 4, 2020 57:44 Special episode! In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, does convalescent plasma from recovered patients offer fresh hope for those who are critically ill? The medical leaders of the two largest blood collectors in the US are here to help us work through the challenges and triumphs for COVID-19 convalescent plasma.

083CE: Building the Perfect Transfusion Committee with Carolyn Burns Apr 27, 2020 54:50 Let's be honest: Some hospital transfusion committee meetings feel like a waste of time! However, Dr. Carolyn Burns thinks transfusion committees are not hopeless! In this interview, she outlines her practical steps for building the perfect transfusion committee. She discusses how to recruit members, how to find "champions," what to discuss and analyze, and shares what she has observed in the most

082: COVID-19 and the Blood Supply with Louis Katz Mar 17, 2020 29:21 In this emergency episode, recorded on March 16, 2020, I discuss actions blood collectors and hospitals should be thinking of now to preserve the US blood supply, as well as a look at the global COVID-19 pandemic. We also briefly discuss convalescent plasma and its potential role.

081CE: Top Ten Changes in the NEW AABB Standards with Rich Gammon Mar 11, 2020 45:04 The 32nd edition of AABB Standards became effective in April 2020. Rich Gammon, Chair of the BBTS Standards Committee, is here with the Top 10 changes you need to know! From blood donors to recipients, these changes will keep you in touch with best practices in Transfusion Medicine, even if your facility is not AABB-accredited. Continuing education for this episode has EXPIRED. See BBGuy.org/CE or

080CE: Is This Donor "Safe?" with Mindy Goldman Feb 27, 2020 53:13 Those who oversee blood collection organizations wrestle constantly with two questions: "How can I keep my blood donors safe?" and "How can I keep the recipients of the blood we are collecting safe?" These twin responsibilities shape decisions and policies in blood donor centers worldwide. Dr. Mindy Goldman, Medical Director at Canadian Blood Services (CBS), is deeply involved in the evaluation of

079: Pioneering Pathogen Reduction with Ray Goodrich Jan 30, 2020 54:38 With the FDA's 2019 publication of their Final Guidance on how to prevent patients from receiving platelet products contaminated with bacteria, it finally feels like pathogen reduction technology is about to "get real" in the United States! There was a time, though, that modern versions of pathogen reduction existed only in the minds of some really, really smart people. One of those brilliant mind

078CE: Does That Patient REALLY Need Platelets? with Joe Sweeney Nov 20, 2019 55:46 Far too many platelet transfusion decisions are made by evaluating a single laboratory value (the platelet count). Dr. Joe Sweeney believes we need more information to make better choices. Platelet transfusion decisions can be complex, and there is wide practice variability both within institutions and among different subspecialty services. In this interview, Dr. Sweeney describes current platelet

077CE: Implementing Pathogen-reduced Platelets with Pat Kopko Oct 17, 2019 52:58 On September 30, 2019, the United States Food and Drug Administration released the long awaited final guidance on bacterial risk control in platelets (see episode 076 for more details). One way that transfusion services can fulfill the recommendations in the guidance is to implement pathogen reduction technology. Dr. Pat Kopko and her team at the University of California-San Diego are well ahead o

076: FDA Platelet Bacteria Guidance with Pat Kopko Oct 11, 2019 42:37 Over the past several years, the United States Food and Drug Administration has considered many proposals for how to decrease the risk that a vulnerable patient would receive a platelet transfusion containing bacteria. On September 30, 2019, FDA released their "Final Guidance" with multiple recommendations that can appear confusing at first glance. This interview with Dr. Pat Kopko from UC-San Die

075CE: What About Fibrinogen? with Melissa Cushing Aug 14, 2019 57:15 Are we ignoring the most important coagulation factor when transfusing bleeding patients? Melissa Cushing thinks fibrinogen's contribution to survival of bleeding patients may be under-recognized. She describes the current evidence for early fibrinogen replacement in the bleeding patient, logistical challenges transfusion services face, studies providing insights to desired fibrinogen target level

074CE: Radioactive! with Chris Tormey Jul 31, 2019 58:02 Transfusion-associated Graft-versus-Host Disease (TA-GVHD) is a notoriously deadly but thankfully rare transfusion complication. Blood banks have used irradiation of cellular blood products for decades to prevent TA-GVHD, but clinicians and laboratorians still sometimes misunderstand what irradiation does and does not do. Dr. Chris Tormey from Yale details the past, present, and future of blood pr

073: Implementing Trauma Whole Blood with David Oh and Mike Goodman Jul 10, 2019 57:00 More and more trauma surgeons are asking their hospitals when they can get low-titer, cold-stored, group O whole blood ("trauma whole blood"). This product, discussed in depth in episode 040CE, is one that comes with lots of choices, and Drs. David Oh and Mike Goodman from Hoxworth Blood Center and the University of Cincinnati led their hospital through those decisions. They join me to share their

072CE: Neonatal Platelet Transfusion with Martha Sola-Visner Jun 26, 2019 53:42 For decades, neonates (especially in the United States) have been given platelet transfusions at considerably higher platelet counts than thresholds used in adults. New data suggests, however, that "less may be more" when it comes to transfusing platelets to these tiny and vulnerable patients! Dr. Martha Sola-Visner, a neonatologist from Boston, joins me to discuss the results of a recent large st

071: NEW Therapeutic Apheresis Guidelines with Nancy Dunbar Jun 19, 2019 43:03 This month, the American Society for Apheresis (ASFA) released a new version of their epic document called "Guidelines on the Use of Therapeutic Apheresis in Clinical Practice" in the Journal of Clinical Apheresis. It is, in many ways, the standard document that professionals in this field refer to when faced with a patient who may need treatment. One of the co-editors of the "Special Issue" (as i

070CE: Preventing Alloantibodies in Sickle Cell Disease with Stella Chou Jun 5, 2019 56:17 Alloimmunization after red blood cell (RBC) transfusion is a huge challenge in the treatment of sickle cell disease (SCD). Even when donors and patients are "matched," anti-Rh antibodies in patients with sickle cell disease are formed way often than we would like or expect. Further, Dr. Stella Chou has shown that nearly a third of patients with those new antibodies actually have hemolytic transfus

069CE: Preventing TRALI with Beth Shaz May 22, 2019 43:54 Over the past 15 years, Transfusion-related Acute Lung Injury (TRALI) has caused in more deaths than any other complication. Since many cases are caused by antibodies in blood donors, blood collection establishments around the world have taken numerous steps in an effort to prevent TRALI (also known as TRALI "mitigation"). Dr. Beth Shaz and a group of distinguished researchers decided to investiga

068: Transfusion in Cardiac Surgery with Pierre Tibi May 13, 2019 58:26 Most blood bankers will tell you that cardiac surgery can lead to some of the most intense interactions between a transfusion service and an operating room. Over the decades, we have seen wide variations in how much blood surgeons transfuse, even among those practicing in the same hospital! Those times are changing, however. Dr. Pierre Tibi is a busy cardiac surgeon in Arizona who also happens to

067CE: Wiser Blood Management Choices with Carolyn Burns Apr 24, 2019 52:00 It feels like everyone is talking about patient blood management. That's a GOOD thing, but does it really mean what they think it means? Dr. Carolyn Burns joins me to discuss "Five Things Patients and Physicians Should Question" regarding blood management, and what she has to say may show you that you are NOT doing everything you can or should with PBM in your facility. Continuing education for th

066: IgA Deficiency and Anaphylactic Reactions with Jerry Sandler Apr 10, 2019 56:41 Here's what we thought we knew: IgA deficiency leads to anaphylactic transfusion reactions. Not so fast! Dr. Gerald Sandler from Georgetown University noticed something when he was in charge of one of the US national reference labs: Hardly anyone with true anaphylactic reactions actually had IgA deficiency and anti-IgA! There's more to the story, and Jerry is here to share it with us (including wh

065: Transfusion and Jehovah's Witnesses with Jed Gorlin Mar 18, 2019 55:07 Jehovah's Witnesses refuse transfusion based on strong religious beliefs, but the "rules" can be confusing. Transfusion Medicine professionals are often called to help clinicians manage Witnesses' care (despite the fact that these patients will not accept most of what we supply!). In this interview, Jed Gorlin details how to be helpful, respectful, and a great team member in the care of Jehovah's

064CE: Granulocyte Transfusion with Ron Strauss Feb 27, 2019 01:01:21 Granulocyte concentrate has been around for as long as apheresis platelets, but the product has come into and out of favor repeatedly over the years. While the most recent randomized trials were disappointing, Dr. Ron Strauss believes a closer look at the data from the famous "RING Study" convinces him that if we transfuse a "modern," high-dose granulocyte concentrate, the results can be very posi

063CE: Anti-CD47 Testing Interference with Connie Westhoff Feb 6, 2019 49:37 Ever since the introduction of anti-CD38 (daratumumab, or DARA), blood bankers have been hearing about a new chemotherapy agent, anti-CD47, that would interfere far more in our testing than anti-CD38. Well, anti-CD47 is here (in trials), and it lives up to its reputation! Connie Westhoff and her team report on results from blood bank testing of patients taking the drug, and what you can do to over

062CE: Autologous and Directed Donation with Julie Karp Jan 18, 2019 56:10 For patients who might need blood transfusion, the ideas of donating their own blood ("autologous donation") and/or choosing their blood donor ("directed donation") seem VERY appealing! However, Dr. Julie Karp explains the good reasons why both special donation types are getting less and less common, and tells us what role, if any, each has in today's Transfusion Medicine. Continuing education for

061CE: Better AABB Assessments with Anne Chenoweth Dec 11, 2018 52:39 You know all about AABB Standards, but how do you make them practical? Anne Chenoweth gives great tips to make your next assessment better! Continuing education for this episode has EXPIRED. See BBGuy.org/CE or AABB.org/BBGuy for current CE-eligible episodes.

060CE: Transforming Inventory Management with Nancy Dunbar Nov 13, 2018 01:00:43 Nancy Dunbar says a few simple adjustments to "the rules" we learned long ago could reduce shortages of O-neg RBCs, AB plasma, and platelets! Continuing education for this episode has EXPIRED. See BBGuy.org/CE or AABB.org/BBGuy for current CE-eligible episodes.

059: Antigen Matching for Future Moms with Meghan Delaney Oct 29, 2018 43:20 A 25-year-old, A negative female needs blood. She will receive RhD-negative RBCs, of course, but what about antigen matching for Kell, or for other Rh antigens? Meghan Delaney explains her study, "AMIGO," in which she tried to determine if there is evidence that such matching is important.

058CE: Transfusion and Blood Clots with Ruchika Goel Oct 3, 2018 48:11 Venous thromboembolism after surgery is a huge problem, and we may have underestimated one big contributing factor: Red cell transfusion! Ruchika Goel and colleagues put together the first study to primarily address the role of perioperative red blood cell transfusions in developing postoperative venous thromboemboli, and she is here to tell us what they found. Continuing education for this episod

057: Nonspecific Antibodies with Brenda Grossman Sep 26, 2018 53:08 Isolated nonspecific reactions ("antibodies of undetermined specificity") on antibody workups can delay transfusions, but it may be impossible to determine whether or not they matter to the patient. Brenda Grossman explains possible causes and potential solutions when these annoying but common situations arise.

056CE: Transfusion in Liver Disease with Jeannie Callum Sep 4, 2018 56:38 Patients with liver disease often have basic coagulation laboratory values that seem AWFUL, and as a result, they receive almost 1 in every 5 blood products transfused in hospitals! Jeannie Callum thinks that's too much, and shows us how to improve our practice. Continuing education for this episode has EXPIRED. See BBGuy.org/CE or AABB.org/BBGuy for current CE-eligible episodes.

055CE: 2017 Critical Developments with Claudia Cohn and Melissa Cushing Aug 17, 2018 57:28 "I never KNEW about that paper!" Most of us have felt that way when we miss some new Transfusion Medicine fact, especially early in our careers. In this interview, two of the editors of a synopsis of 2016-17 BB/TM literature summarize recent developments you should know. NOTE: CE credit has expired for this episode.

054: ABO Discrepancies with Nicole Draper Aug 1, 2018 50:30 In the 2+ years I've been doing this podcast, more people have asked, "when are you doing ABO discrepancies?" than any other topic. Well, here you go! Let's learn the essentials with Dr. Nicole Draper, who loves ABO discrepancies! See www.BBGuy.org/054 for the visual part.

053CE: Alloimmunization is a BIG Word! with Chris Tormey Jul 16, 2018 59:05 Alloimmunization has been a mystery for decades, but Chris Tormey has new answers for why patients make antibodies that we wish they didn't! NOTE: CE credit has expired for this episode.

052: Patient Blood Management: What Are You Missing? with Aryeh Shander Jun 25, 2018 56:38 Most everyone is aware that PBM programs involve things like improving physician blood ordering practices by "tightening up" approved thresholds for transfusing red cells and platelets, especially. Many have heard cute little phrases like, "Hey, why give 2 when 1 will do?" to describe current thoughts on transfusing one unit of red cells as a default instead of two units as a default. What I'll be

051: Product Choice and Compatibility Testing with Sue Johnson Jun 12, 2018 01:01:49 In episode 050CE, Sue Johnson outlined sample requirements and antibody detection testing. Now, the knowledge bomb continues as she helps us understand how to choose compatible blood products and TEST (crossmatch) them to make sure they are compatible. Sue finishes the job by solving six cases illustrating common challenges in compatibility testing.

050CE: Specimen Issues and Serologic Testing with Sue Johnson Apr 27, 2018 01:08:07 Continuing education episode! To those less familiar with testing and processes in blood banks, the process of Pretransfusion Testing can feel confusing and intimidating. There are tons of rules, and we feel compelled to hold everyone and everything involved to a VERY high standard! Sue Johnson returns to the podcast in part 1 of a discussion of the first two steps in pretransfusion testing, and s

049CE: Red, White, and Yellow! with Jeff Winters Apr 9, 2018 57:40 Continuing education episode! When a patient has TOO MUCH of a good thing, transfusion medicine professionals must sometimes step in and assist in removing red cells, plasma, and/or platelets. Dr. Jeff Winters will help you understand why YOU need to know about these procedures, even if you are not directly involved in therapeutic cytapheresis in your facility. This episode is eligible for FREE CM

048: Bloodless Medicine? with Steve Frank Mar 26, 2018 01:04:15 Major surgeries with no blood, for both Jehovah's Witnesses and others? Post-operative patients who don't need transfusion because of massive blood draws? These things are not only possible, they are happening right now, and Dr. Steve Frank, Medical Director of the Johns Hopkins Bloodless Medicine Program, is here to discuss the essentials of patient blood management carried to the extreme!

047CE: I See CMV! with John Roback Mar 12, 2018 01:01:28 Cytomegalovirus can cause all kinds of problems in susceptible transfusion recipients, but even an AABB Expert Panel couldn't say exactly how to make blood "CMV-safe!" John Roback was senior author the committee report, and he's here to clear the air...maybe! NOTE: CE credit has expired for this episode.

046: Top 5 Changes in the NEW AABB Standards with Pat Ooley Feb 6, 2018 01:06:15 Every two years, like it or not, our friends at the AABB issue a brand-new version of their Standards for Blood Banks and Transfusion Services (though we usually just call it "Standards" for short). The 31st edition goes live on April 1, 2018, and it contains a number of important changes. Pat Ooley, Chair of the Blood Bank Transfusion Service Standards Committee, joins me to share his "Top 5 Chan

045: Past, Present, & Future with Harvey Klein Jan 24, 2018 59:24 In his nearly 45 years at the National Institutes of Health, Dr. Harvey Klein has been at the center of a mountain of uproars, crises, and changes in transfusion medicine. He's got tons of fascinating stories and opinions, and he's here to share the "Past, Present, & Future of Transfusion Medicine." Don't miss it!

044CE: What I Wish I Knew! with Pat Kopko Jan 8, 2018 01:01:48 I've known Dr. Pat Kopko, Director of Transfusion Medicine at UC San Diego, for over 30 years! For this episode, we decided to have a conversation about the "essential" things we wish we would have known back when we started on our respective paths to being blood bankers. Pat and I get really, really practical, and give you tons of useful information, including tips, memory tools, and facts presen

043CE: Practical Tips to Influence Transfusion Practice with Mark Fung Dec 18, 2017 59:08 Everyone everywhere in transfusion medicine is talking about patient blood management! What is not often discussed, however, is just how to monitor practices, and what we should do to get started or get better. Mark Fung joins me to discuss 6 practical tips to influence transfusion practice in your hospital. His real-world strategies will help anyone involved in improving transfusion practice! NOT

042: Do Clinicians Know Transfusion Medicine? with Rich Haspel Dec 11, 2017 53:58 An 80 year old male with acute leukemia is getting a platelet transfusion, he begins to feel short of breath. The nurse overseeing the transfusion asks the hematology fellow, "What do you want me to do next, doctor?" The fellow feels his pulse quicken, and he prepares to give his best answer... Situations like this are real and occur every single day in hospitals around the world. Many studies hav

041: Blood Donor Questions with Mary Townsend Nov 27, 2017 59:12 During the 1980's and 90's, U.S. blood collectors asked more and more (and then MORE) questions of our volunteer blood donors, to the point of absurdity. Dr. Mary Townsend was an original (and current) member of the task force that changed all of that, and she is here to help you understand why we ask what we ask! Note: This is NOT a Continuing Education episode. See BBGuy.org or TransfusionNews.c

040CE: Wholly Whole Blood with Mark Yazer Nov 8, 2017 58:38 In the remote history of transfusion medicine, life was simple. We had exactly one product: Whole blood. Things changed, and for the last 50 years or so, we began to separate whole blood into red cells, plasma, and platelets. As we learn more and more about what works and what doesn't in trauma resuscitation, some are looking a return to whole blood. Dr. Mark Yazer is helping to lead that discussi

039CE: Understanding Febrile Reactions with Christine Cserti-Gazdewich Oct 6, 2017 56:42 Febrile nonhemolytic transfusion reactions get no respect! Clinicians think they are a nuisance, and so do most blood bankers! However, a recent paper from Dr. Christine Cserti-Gazdewich and group suggests that they may be a bigger deal than you think. NOTE: CE credit has expired for this episode.

038: HDFN with Greg Denomme Sep 5, 2017 59:39 Hemolytic Disease of the Fetus and Newborn (HDFN) seems simple, but there are lots of pitfalls! Dr. Greg Denomme is your guide to HDFN clarity!

037: How to Learn with Justin Kreuter Aug 21, 2017 01:00:27 What if everything we know (or think we know) about learning is just wrong? Traditional, "sage on the stage" lectures don't foster long-term retention, nor does slogging through an article or book chapter. Dr. Justin Kreuter has studied the research, and he's here to guide us to what does work, and steps to take toward mastery of blood banking and transfusion medicine!

036: Group A Plasma in Trauma with Nancy Dunbar & Tait Stevens Aug 7, 2017 55:08 New paradigms in trauma transfusion require prompt delivery of plasma in increased amounts. This has led blood banks to start using group A plasma instead of AB in these emergency settings. But, is the practice safe? Drs. Stevens and Dunbar share new evidence!

035: Why Give Platelets? with Rick Kaufman Jul 24, 2017 01:02:08 Yes, platelets are tiny, but they can cause lots of problems and controversy! Dr. Rick Kaufman (lead author of the AABB Clinical Practice Guideline on platelet transfusion), joins the podcast to discuss what the evidence shows and what we can and can't say about platelet transfusion. The lack of evidence might really surprise you!

034: Neonatal RBC Transfusion with Cassandra Josephson Jul 11, 2017 01:06:37 Dr. Josephson returns to the podcast, and she is back in style! Blood bankers may struggle with the details of red blood cell transfusion to neonates, as there are important differences between this group and the adults and older children we are more accustomed to transfusing. Cassandra is your guide, and she answers "Five Essential Questions about Neonatal RBC Transfusion." When should we give R

033: Straight Talk with an ER Doc with Scott Weingart Jun 19, 2017 48:35 Interactions between Blood Bank and Emergency Department staff in stressful times (like massive transfusions) can be difficult. Good news: A world-renowned ER physician says it doesn't have to be that way! Dr. Scott Weingart of the EMCrit podcast joins me to discuss how we can understand each other better.

032: Eat your Spinach! Donors and Iron with Jed Gorlin May 30, 2017 01:05:10 "Have a steak! Eat your spinach!" Age-old advice from blood collectors to donors, but is it good enough? Jed Gorlin shows us why the old iron ways may not best!

031: Why all Blood Bankers Should be on Twitter May 15, 2017 01:08:30 Ever feel like you are missing something? If you aren't using Twitter to keep up with blood banking advancements, you should be! The 140 character platform is so useful for connecting with others, learning from conferences you can't attend, and developing your own vision and presence. This roundtable discussion takes you through the essentials of blood banking on Twitter. Jerad Gardner, Kate Pendr

030: Antibodies in Sickle Cell with Eric Gehrie Apr 10, 2017 57:56 One little amino acid makes all the difference in sickle cell disease! Dr. Eric Gehrie explains why sickle cell patients are so challenging for blood banks, specifically focusing on the huge problem of alloimmunization (making RBC antibodies) after transfusion.

029: Molecular Testing with Meghan Delaney Mar 20, 2017 59:00 Molecular (genetic) testing is everywhere in medicine today, and the blood bank is no exception! You don't have to be an expert geneticist to see how it all fits, however. Meghan Delaney joins me to present 7 practical uses for molecular testing in transfusion medicine.

028: Who DAT? with Sue Johnson Feb 27, 2017 01:01:30 For such a simple test, the Direct Antiglobulin ("Coombs") Test confuses the heck out of most every blood bank student, to say nothing of many clinicians! Sue Johnson is here to guide us to better understanding of this most excellent immunohematology test.

027: NAIT with Brian Curtis Feb 13, 2017 50:43 Neonatal alloimmune thrombocytopenia (NAIT), the disease with many names, continues to confound blood bankers everywhere! The conversation goes like this: "This baby has a low platelet count...is it NAIT?" Dr. Brian Curtis tells Dr. Chaffin how to take the right steps to find the answer, both in the real world and the exam world.

Episodes

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