2024 Transfusion Medicine Boot Camp for Nurses
Laura Aseltine MLT, BSc., Regional Project Coordinator;
Donna Berta RN, BScN, Clinical Project Coordinator – Nursing;
Sheena Scheuermann MLT, BTech., Regional Project Coordinator
Alison Wendt MLT, Regional Project Coordinator; Ontario Regional Blood Coordinating Network (ORBCoN)
Background
An annual ORBCoN educational event, Transfusion Medicine Boot Camp for Nurses was piloted in 2018. The event’s purpose is to cultivate transfusion knowledge and skills for health care professionals administering blood (primarily nurses) to support transfusion patient safety.
A transfusion medicine physician, clinical nurse educators, a patient blood management coordinator, and ORBCoN staff organize the program. Each year attendee feedback informs the format and program content.
Consistently attendees provide favourable reports regarding the interactive learning opportunities. Speakers, in addition to presenting knowledge, are encouraged to incorporate patient case-based scenarios with polling questions to promote learner’s critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
2024 Program
A three-hour virtual educational session was presented on November 27, 2024. The event was at no cost to attendees; however, registration was mandatory (for security purposes). The program encompassed two plenary sessions based on transfusion guidelines/blood administration and transfusion reactions followed by a concurrent session with a selection of contemporary transfusion medicine topics. The sessions included:
Plenary
- Massive Hemorrhage Protocol: Nursing Considerations in the Rural Setting.
- Diamonds last forever: Massive haemorrhage protocols in a tertiary academic center.
- Acute Hypotensive Reactions.
Concurrent
- Massive Hemorrhage in the Obstetrical Patient: What’s Unique?
- Administration of Intravenous Iron.
- RBC Transfusion: How to Start & Finish; What About In Between?
Sessions were recorded; the recordings and presentations are posted on the ORBCoN website. Visit https://transfusionontario.org/category/orbcon-resources/presentation-library/transfusion-medicine-boot-camp-for-nurses/ to review these topics.
2024 Registrants
The event included 478 plenary registrants, predominantly Ontarians. Approximately 6.1 % of registrants were from outside Ontario, including two international registrants.
The role of the registrants is summarized in Figure 1 and more specifically:
- 65% (N 310) front line nursing care provider (clinical nurse specialist, nurse practitioner, registered nurse, registered practical nurse)
- 22% (N 105) providing transfusion education (clinical nurse educator, nursing professional practice, transfusion safety nurse/officer)
- 13% (N 63) other (medical laboratory technologist, nurse manager, nursing student, other, university/college faculty)
2024 Outcomes
An evaluation survey presented attendees an opportunity to provide feedback and identified:
- overall appraisal: 76% excellent, 24% good
- after attending this event, my practice will change: 82% yes
- future considerations: clear-cut registration process, have the presentations available to attendees prior to the event, more patient cases, and polling questions, increase time allocated to attendee questions, continue tailoring the topics for transfusionists (nurses).
- suggested future topics: platelet transfusion, plasma transfusion, IVIG, liver disease patients and transfusion, transfusion reactions (commonly occurring reactions), pediatric transfusion, EMR and transfusion documentation (rationale).
Planning for the 2025 Event
Based on 2024 as well as previous years feedback, education to support transfusion patient safety is fundamental and is embraced. The interactive learning format (patient case-based scenarios with polling questions) will continue to be a priority. Technology to streamline the registration process (a single registration) will be implemented. As feasible, the suggested future topics will be integrated. Please reach out with your ideas to enhance this event.