Quality Within Transfusion Practice

This subject has the following teaching availabilities in 2013:

Distance (online)

Students should expect to undertake a minimum of 120 hours research, reading, writing and general study to complete this subject successfully.

It is advisable to allocate at least 7 hours per week to study. This includes reading the distance learning packages and watching the videos as well as completing activities, answering questions posted and participating in the weekly discussions. It is recommended that you read widely on the topic of Transfusion Practice / Medicine - the book of readings will assist however this is not an exhaustive list. This course is delivered entirely online so you will need to organise your time accordingly.

For the purposes of considering requests for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Cwth 2005), and Students Experiencing Academic Disadvantage Policy, academic requirements for this subject are articulated in the Subject Description, Subject Objectives, Generic Skills and Assessment Requirements of this entry.
The University is dedicated to provide support to those with special requirements. Further details on the disability support scheme can be found at the Disability Liaison Unit website: http://www.services.unimelb.edu.au/disability

This subject covers a broad range of quality topics associated with transfusion medicine including; systems, principles and issues. The purpose of this subject is to provide the student with an understanding of quality policies and the clinical risk management issues relating to blood and blood products from collection to post transfusion management.

Topics covered include: haemovigilance and its importance, consent issues associated with the transfusion of blood and blood products, an understanding of the function of quality systems, risk management, traceability and recall, practical skills in relation to auditing, data analysis, change management and process facilitation skills, and the principles of blood product handling and transfusion reaction reporting and management.

At the completion of the subject, students should;

• Understand quality systems, principles and issues relating to blood and blood products
• Develop a strong awareness of quality policies and clinical risk management issues
• Understand practical aspects of transfusion improvement such as audit and data analysis

• 60% of assessment: 3,000 word essay, due at the end of the semester.
• 30% of assessment: 1,500 word essay, due half way through the semester
• 10% of assessment: Participation in remote learning forums. Student must
• contribute to questions posted on the forum and participate in discussion threads on a weekly basis.

The Clinical Use of Blood in Medicine, Obstetrics, Paediatrics, Surgery and Anaesthesia, Trauma and Burns by the World Health Organisation , Blood Transfusion Safety, Geneva (2002)

• Transfusion Medicine in Practice edited by Jennifer Duguid, Lawrence Goodnough and Michael Desmond (2002)
• Standards for Blood Banks and Transfusion Services (21st Edition) American Association of Blood Banks (2002)
• Daileys Notes on Blood (4th Edition) John F Daley (2002) Medical Consulting Group USA
• Guidelines for Blood Utilization Review (2001) American Association of Blood Banks (2002)
• Essential Haematology (3rd Edition) A.V. Hoffbrand & J.E. Pettit: Blackwell Science
• Transfusion Medicine in Practice (2002) J. Duduid, T. Goodnough, M. Desmond (Editors) Martin Dunitz Ltd
• Fundamentals of Anatomy and Physiology (6th Edition) Frederic Martini (2003) Prentice Hall
• Clinical Risk Management: Enhancing patient safety (2001) Charles Vincent BMJ publishers

This subject is not available as a breadth subject.

Students who successfully complete this subject should:

• Develop knowledge and confidence in the practice of blood transfusion
• Improve skills in reflective thinking on subject material and recommended readings