Inspiring and facilitating best transfusion practices in Ontario.
Bloody Easy Lite
The newly revised “Bloody Easy Lite” eLearning program specifically for physicians is now available
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COVID-19 and convalescent plasma study
Find information regarding the CONCOR study and the use of convalescent plasma to help fight COVID-19
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Ontario’s First Recommendations for Massive Hemorrhage Protocol
Rescheduled to April 30, 2021. Now being offered 100% virtual.
Find out moreFeatured Resources
NAC Summary October, 2020
National Advisory Committee Update for Ontario Transfusion Medicine Professionals (from the October 2020 NAC meeting) Slide deck from the NAC update to Ontario Transfusion Medicine professionals provided by Dr. Alan Tinmouth on January 21, 2021
Bloody Easy Blood Administration Version 3 Handbook
This handbook is a comprehensive, referenced resource for transfusionists (nurses, health care professionals administering blood). It provides an overview of blood components and products with essential learnings and actions to ensure blood is administered safely.Print and French translation versions will be available soon.
2020 Transfusion Medicine Boot Camp for Nurses
TML Basics: ABO, Rh(D) Compatibility; Group & Screen; Crossmatch
RBC, Platelets, Plasma: W5 (Who, What, When, Where, Why) + How
Transfusion Reactions: Identifying and Providing Patient Care
What’s New: a Provincial Massive Hemorrhage Protocol
February 2021
Should we really be irradiating so many platelets?
Dana V. Devine, PhD FCAHS
Chief Scientist, Canadian Blood Services and Director, University of British Columbia Centre for Blood Research
Irradiation of platelet concentrates is undertaken to prevent any residual white blood cells in the unit from being able to replicate. The process of irradiation causes lesions in DNA including single- and double-strand breaks, DNA-protein cross-links, and oxidization. Enough damage to DNA prevents cell replication. Most units of platelets are irradiated using a dose of 25 Gy (Gray) also expressed as 2500 rad or 25 Joule/kilogram. This is a measure of radiation and does not take into consideration the biological effect of the radiation dose.
Standards for red blood cells clearly recognize that irradiation causes damage to cell membranes of RBCs, shortening the allowable storage period post-irradiation. However, we have no specific storage limits on platelet concentrates that have been subjected [...]
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April 12 @ 3:00 am