Role of nursing in modern blood banking [in a tertiary level hospital].

ABSTRACT

With the emergence of Transfusion Medicine Department the definition of Blood Bank has changed. Today, it is not just a bank to collect & issue blood, it prepares and supplies individual blood component, to the patients as and when the need arises during the course of treatment. The planning & management of any blood bank depends on number of functions it is required to serve and the number of units of demand of blood & blood products. This has also changed the role of nursing from skilled nursing care to managing the blood bank services. Hence, there is a need for the nursing personnel to know about the recent advances in planning and management of transfusion medicine, so that they can handle this dual responsibility as a Nurse and a manager.