[Professional-practice evaluation of the medical and nursing dysfunctions observed during the transfusion chain at the University Hospital of Brest]. / Evaluation des pratiques professionnelles sur les dysfonctionnements médicaux et paramédicaux repérés au cours du processus transfusionnel au CHU de Brest.

The haemovigilance unit decided to set up since 2003 an evaluation of professional practices of blood transfusion chain from the prescription of blood products to the transfusion act and follow-up of receivers in several health care services. We have founded that the medical and nurse dysfunctions are the same in all cases. We have decided to analyze the causes of these dysfunctions and to propose actions to perform practices using a "problem-solving system model". We followed the next stages: (1) characterization of the problem in "QQOQCCP" form (What? Who? Where? When? How? How many? Why?), (2) analysis of the causes presented in Ishikawa's cause-and-effect diagram form and (3) search and selection of solutions of improvements.

[Evaluation of post transfusion hypertransaminasemia]. / Evaluation des hypertransaminasémies lors du bilan post-transfusionnel.

UNLABELLED: Dosage of post transfusion ALT has been performed since a government recommendation was issued in 1996. Yet, the advantage of this analysis during the post transfusion tests has not been determined. The aims of this study were to estimate: a) the incidence of hypertransaminasemia, b) the causes of hypertransaminasemia and c) the advantage of an etiologic investigation. PATIENTS AND METHODS: At the University Hospital of Brest, follow-up of the labile blood products recipients was initiated in June 1993. Since 1997, a visit in the hepatogastroenterology unit was systematically proposed to patients having post transfusion hypertransaminasemia. RESULTS: Since November 1997 to July 2003, ALT increase was detected in 235 patients (4%). Among them, 108 patients consulted a hepatologist. Diagnosis was certain for 46 patients (46%). A drug reaction or alcoholic disease was the cause of ALT elevation in the majority of cases (80%). The diagnosis was probable for 42 patients (39%) due to medications in 81% of cases. The diagnosis remained undetermined in 20 patients (18%). CONCLUSION: Our study shows that alcohol or drug hepatotoxicity explained the majority of post transfusion hypertransaminasemia. We could not demonstrate a viral cause. We have decided to continue the follow-up of post transfusion hypertransaminasemia during two more years and to reevaluate the usefulness of the etiologic investigation.

[A quality program in haemovigilance: evaluation of the blood transfusion chain]. / Démarche qualité en hémovigilance: analyse du processus transfusionnel.

Blood transfusion, like any effective therapy, involves an element of risk. In order to reduce such risks to a maximum, a legislative and statutory framework has been set up. A reliable evaluation of this system is necessary together with an efficient evaluation method whose aim is to guarantee quality service. Favouring the development of the evaluation of professional practices is one of the priorities of the National Agency of Accreditation and Evaluation in Health (ANAES) created in April 1996. Following the recommendations from ANAES, the University Hospital of Brest decided to set up an evaluation of blood transfusion chain from the prescription of blood products to the transfusion act and follow-up of receivers in two health care services. The method used for this evaluation was a clinical audit. It is a method of evaluation, which allows with the help of certain criteria, care practices to be compared to accepted references, in order to measure the quality of these practices and the results of hospital care, so that improvements may be added. We present here the method and results of this evaluation, as well as the improvements we have put in place.