Emergency Release Protocol
Included in an Emergency Release:
RBCs (un-crossmatched group O) are ready for pick up in 5 minutes
Although other individual products (plasma, cryoprecipitate or platelets) can also be ordered using this protocol, the Massive Transfusion Protocol is activated if a patient requires all products (RBCs, plasma and platelets) emergently
1. Identify RUNNER to retrieve Emergency Release from Blood Bank
2. Make sure the RUNNER has a patient LABEL
3. Procedure: CALL the Blood Bank
Phone number
Location
Parnassus
415-353-1313 or x3-1313 internal
Moffitt Fifth Floor
Mission Bay
415-476-1404 or x6-1404 internal
Gateway Medical Building Second Floor, M-2348
Mt. Zion
415-885-7791 or x5-7791 internal
Second Floor, Room B-235
Follow script:
1. “We need to activate Emergency Release Protocol.”
2. “The patient’s name is and medical record number is .”
3. “The location is unit/OR# at Parnassus/Mission Bay/Mt. Zion.”
4. “We need (specify the product type(s) & number of units needed)
5. “The Contact Person on the unit is: (name & phone # to take calls from blood
bank)
6. “The ordering provider is (full name).”
7. “We will send a runner with a patient label to get the blood.”
4. SEND runner with patient LABEL to Blood Bank to pick up blood *
-Instruct runner to go to front of line at Blood Bank and tell staff “I am here to pick up Emergency Release blood products”
-A patient label is required for all subsequent pick-ups from the Blood Bank
-If more blood is needed, Contact Person CALLS blood bank (ask to speak to Lead Tech)
5. If possible, draw a blood sample for a Type and Screen BEFORE blood products are infused.
6. APeX orders for Emergency Release are entered by the authorizing provider, as soon as patient is stable. Enter orders within 24 hours after event. This is an FDA requirement.
7. RETURN unused blood products to the Blood Bank ASAP
* Downtime process is activated for exceptional situations- e.g. runner fails to bring a patient label/unable to provide patient name and MRN. To avoid delays, Blood Bank Staff will call the unit, confirm that runner is picking up blood for the correct patient, and release blood products.