Category: Blood

Canadian Blood Services has issued a call for more blood and plasma donations as recent natural disasters have resulted in lower than expected donor numbers this summer. Here is what you need to know: More than 300 appointments cancelled in Kelowna area Almost 10,000 appointments need to be filled in Canada Canadians asked to ‘fill the gap’ The non-profit charitable organization said in a news release Monday that Canada “continues to face a unique set of circumstances this summer,” a time of the year when it is usually more difficult to maintain supplies of blood and plasma. Donated blood can only be stored up to 42 days, Canadian Blood Services says, and nearly 10,000 donation appointments need to be filled across Canada between now and Labour Day. “We expected to see lower attendance in the summer months when regular donors take summer vacations, but the extraordinary natural events across the country presented unpredicted challenges for folks from coast to coast,” Ron Vezina, vice-president of public affairs for Canadian Blood Services, said in a statement. “Between heat waves and forest fires, torrential rains and flash floods, communities are strained, as people cope with the emergencies in front of them. Fewer people have been donating, but despite these circumstances patients continue to need vital donations of blood and plasma.” Regions of the Northwest Territories and British Columbia have evacuated in recent weeks due to major wildfires there, the latest in a series of natural disasters that have occurred across the country. In the Kelowna and Shuswap areas of B.C., fires have damaged or destroyed hundreds of structures, as of Sunday. Canadian Blood Services says it cancelled more than 300 donation appointments in the Kelowna area over the past week because of the wildfires. “Our hearts go out to the communities that have been impacted by the disastrous events this summer,” Vezina said. “Canadians are always prepared to do the neighbourly thing and lend a helping hand and so we’re asking folks across the country to help fill the gap. If you can safely visit a donor centre or a mobile event, please do so as soon as you can. Patients are counting on you.” The organization is asking Canadians to follow it on social media @CanadasLifeline and to book an appointment by going to blood.ca, downloading the GiveBlood app or calling 1-888-2DONATE (1-888-236-6283). Canadian Blood Services says many locations offer same-day appointments. With files from CTVNewsVancouver.ca Reporter Kaija Jussinoja

The Fergus Falls Fire Department is partnering with Vitalant to organize a blood donation event on Wednesday, September 20th. The event will be hosted at the fire station and aims to encourage individuals to contribute to this life-saving cause. Vitalant, a well-known blood donation organization, is collaborating with the Fergus Falls Fire Department to ensure the success of the event. The importance of donating blood cannot be overstated; it is a gift of life that is constantly needed, 24/7/365, regardless of blood type. Both regular donors and those new to the process are invited to participate. Trained Vitalant staff will be present to handle the donation process in a professional manner. The entire donation process usually takes around 60 minutes, and donors are allowed to give blood every eight weeks. For those interested in contributing, Chief Ryan can be contacted via email – [email protected] to schedule a donation time on September 20th. To learn more about the blood donation process, eligibility criteria, and other relevant information, please visit the Vitalant website at Vitalant.org. By participating in this event, community members have the opportunity to provide an invaluable resource that could potentially save lives.

Blood donations are on the cusp of running critically low in Washington before the end of summer if people don’t step up donations, according to the state Department of Health and Northwest Blood Coalition. “Our collections are certainly in a situation you would call precarious,” said Curt Bailey, Bloodworks Northwest president and CEO. The Red Cross’s Pacific Northwest Region does not expect to have enough blood to meet patient needs this month without an increase in donations, according to a Thursday release from the state Department of Health. Wildfire smoke resulted in several canceled blood drives, exacerbating the problem. “Fewer donations make it difficult to keep hospital shelves stocked with lifesaving blood products. Trauma patients, transplant recipients, and those undergoing cancer treatment depend on the generosity of blood donors,” a release from the state Department of Health said. Nationally, the American Red Cross has seen a shortfall of around 25,000 donations during the first two months of summer. Some blood donation services characterize the summer months as the “100 Deadliest Days.” According to the state Department of Health, between Memorial Day in late May and Labor Day in early September, “demand for blood remains constant, transfusion needs increase, but donations go down.” Donor eligibility guidelines were recently updated nationwide. In May, the Food and Drug Administration removed blanket restrictions on blood donations from gay and bisexual men. The Northwest Blood Coalition includes Vitalant, Cascade Regional Blood Services, Bloodworks Northwest, and the American Red Cross  Pacific Northwest Region. Find locations and donor eligibility information on their websites. The Washington State Standard, like the Idaho Capital Sun, is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Follow Washington State Standard on Facebook and Twitter. SUPPORT NEWS YOU TRUST. DONATE

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WSMV) – A Nashville hospital patient was arrested Friday after police said he kicked a nurse in the face and flung blood toward staff while shouting racial slurs. Metro officers were dispatched to TriStar Summit Medical Center in response to a patient fighting with staff. Responding officers found the patient, 45-year-old Gregory Pollock, restrained to a bed. Hospital staff and security told police Pollock had been kicking and directing racial slurs toward the staff. He kicked one nurse in the face, police said. Staff also alleged Pollock took out his IV and began to “fling” blood toward hospital staff and security, according to the report. Pollock smelled like alcohol, police said, and was uneasy on his feet. He was transported to Metro jail and charged with assaulting a nurse. Copyright 2023 WSMV. All rights reserved.

Mon, 28 Aug 2023 19:51:05 GMT (1693252265306) 6c1a9239626623b12804f7b5400cf5752fcbc847 a98b9a68b0d53dec453755579bc8ceb9717067d6 by Liz Bonis and Megan Burgasser, WKRC Mon, August 28th 2023, 6:46 PM UTC Hoxworth puts out call for blood donors leading up to Labor Day (WKRC file) Loading …

Albertville city employees will earn extra time off if they participate in a blood drive next week. During a city council meeting Monday night, Albertville City Councilmen granted additional vacation hours to any employee who participates in the annual Albertville vs. Boaz blood drive. The drive will he held Aug. 29 from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Albertville Depot, and at the Boaz Rec Center on Aug. 30 during the same hours. In other business, councilmembers also: • Postponed a public hearing for a request from Beck Holdings LLC to rezone property on South Broad Street from R-1 to R-8. The rezoning would allow the developer to build four garden homes on the property. However, nearby neighbors voiced concerns over increased traffic and having four driveways coming out onto the street in a small area, said Mayor Tracy Honea. “It will be easier to try to come to some type of resolution now while it is in the planning stages than it will be later on when construction starts,” he said. The closest cross street to the property is Bobo Street. The public hearing will be rescheduled. • Approved a resolution to purchase property at 319 White Oak Road at a cost of $200,000 for future expansion at the Albertville Regional Airport and authorized Honea to sign all necessary documents. • Approved a resolution for the Transportation Plan. The plan is part of the Rebuild Alabama Act. City leaders anticipate an allocation from the Rebuild Alabama Act fund of approximately $125,250 with increasing allocations for upcoming fiscal years. The funds received will be used to fund maintenance and improvement of city roads, including the resurfacing of Lexington Avenue, Vickie Drive and Northridge Trace. The council will next meet Sept. 11. The meeting was moved from its usual first Monday of the month due to the Labor Day holiday. The meeting begins at 6:30 p.m. in the Council Chambers at City Hall.

Utah State University’s Aggies have donated enough blood to win the blood drive battle against Weber State University every year for the past 19 years — and USU isn’t planning on losing this year either, according to Bridger Esplin, the Aggie Red Cross student director. The event will take place from Sept. 5-8, and students and faculty can donate blood between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m. Not only is there a competitive aspect between USU and Weber, but all registered USU clubs, including sororities and fraternities, may receive prizes. But it’s not just the fact that USU has claimed victory for several decades — both universities’ donations have saved tens of thousands of lives. In the last 19 years, the blood battles have led to over 19,355 units of blood being donated, with each unit saving multiple lives, according to Kirsten Stuart, the communications and public affairs associate with the American Red Cross. “I think service should be a huge part of any student’s experience at college, and this is just a really great opportunity for students to get involved,” said Tyson Packer, the student advocate vice president for Utah State University Student Association. While the competitive aspect is certainly enjoyable for many students, Stuart said “the blood donations are important regardless of the situation,” especially with sharp declines in summer donors. “In the summer, the blood supply does go down because people are out more, they’re out doing more things and quite frankly, some people are getting hurt more and needing blood — but the donations are down,” Stuart continued. “This specific blood battle is an amazing way to help in replenishing that supply.” Utah’s blood donations don’t just help Utahns. USU’s blood battles are crucial in helping surgery patients and those recovering from disasters from all over the country. “Utah powers a lot of the country,” Esplin said. Blood donations could especially help victims of natural disasters, from wildfires in Maui, Hawaii to Hurricane Hilary’s impact on the U.S.’s West Coast, according to Nelda Ault-Dyslin, the assistant director of community-engaged learning at the USU Center for Community Engagement. Participants can observe where their donations may travel to on the Red Cross website or app and can even receive a letter of thanks stating which hospital their blood went to, as well as how it helped save a life, Stuart said. For students that are squeamish with needles, they can either volunteer with the Red Cross professionals or at the Blood Battle itself, Esplin said. Still, donating blood is still one of the most effective ways to make a difference. Despite Esplin’s original fears when he first donated, he felt confident afterward. “It actually wasn’t nearly as bad as I thought,” he said. Packer said students who may not understand the purpose of donating blood should ask the Red Cross volunteers about what their blood will do for other people. “They’ll tell you personal stories about people who have gotten blood transfusions, about EMTs who have had to get blood transfusions or have saved lives at car accidents that they’ve been called to,” Packer said. “I just tell students to get in there, ask around, hear about those personal experiences and it’ll really open their eyes to why it’s so important.” For Stuart, donating blood is about just that. When her mother had a gastrointestinal bleed and needed a blood transfusion, she said she found herself getting emotional after seeing the American Red Cross blood donation bags. “Quite frankly, all of us at some point are going to be touched by someone who needed a blood donation,” Stuart said. “I want them (students) to really realize the huge difference that they are making in so many people’s lives with their blood donation. Whether they’re saving the lives of an infant, a child, you know, someone’s mother, grandmother — that literal act of 30 minutes to an hour of their time can mean years to somebody else that they get with a family member.” Previous Article Women’s soccer falls to Utes on late goal

Hemolytic reactions with intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) infusions have decreased over time, with risk factors including non-O blood group transfusions and IVIG dosage, according to results of a study published in Vox Sanguinis.1 Image credit: UlrikaArt – stock.adobe.com Investigators question whether medication taken prior to the procedure may increase the risk of hemolysis. In a study previously published in Transfusion, investigators reported that in 33 articles, there was a higher incidence of IVIG-related hemolysis in patients with blood groups A and AB and for those who had higher IVIG doses, which supports the findings of the current study.2 In the current study, the authors said that hemolysis can occur after an IVIG infusion. According to the investigators, hemolytic reactions are the fourth most common reaction to IVIG. Out of 1170 reactions included in the study, the most common reactions were febrile non-hemolytic reactions (26.1%), minor allergic reactions (24.5%), IVIG headache (15.3%), and hemolytic reactions (10.3%).1 They analyzed data using a novel approach, including 2 control groups with no hemolysis in reaction to IVIG. Investigators included a summary of all reactions to IVIG, rate estimates, and analysis of hemolytic reactions, which included risk factors.1 The study authors gathered data from Ontario, Canada from 2013 to 2021. The data included IVIG distribution, transfusion data from the blood supplier, and data from a large local transfusion registry. Investigators had a control group of patients who had IVIG reactions that were not hemolytic and a control group of patients who had no adverse reactions to IVIG. A descriptive analysis and 2 logistic regression models were used for the different control groups, according to the study authors.1 Advertisement Investigators noted that the current estimate of reaction times from 2020 were 1.5/1000 kg IVIG use and 2.9/1000 kg IVIG use, respectively.1 The results of the study showed that the 2 biggest risk factors for hemolysis were receiving a non-O blood type transfusion and IVIG dose per 10 g increase. The risk factors were also evident when compared to the results of the no-reaction control group.1 Furthermore, investigators found that no pre-medication was associated with a higher risk of hemolysis.1 Although the patient demographics were similar for the 3 categories of hemolytic reactions, the rate of delayed hemolytic transfusion reactions (DHTR) was highest compared to acute hemolytic transfusion reactions and delayed serological transfusion reactions. Investigators reported that most of the reactions were classified as non-severe, while 41.9% were classified as severe and 4.7% were life threatening. The severe reactions were most frequent with DHTR, according to the study authors.1 The study authors identified various limitations of the study, which include limitations regarding data from surveillance. They identified that the structure of the reporting form could have led to missing data, a failure to report key test results that could indicate types of reactions, and a lack of diagnosis or other clinical data, including the reason for transfusion.1 Investigators said their results confirm previous studies indicating risk factors for hemolysis with IVIG, but also suggest that the lack of pre-medication could be another risk factor. They said the methodology in their study could be applied to other studies, investigating other types of rations following transfusions.1 References Batarfi K, Liu Y, Nixon J, Webert KE, et al. A retrospective analysis of haemolytic reactions to intravenous immunoglobulin using data from the Transfusion-Transmitted Injuries Surveillance System (Ontario). Vox Sang. 2023;10.1111/vox.13501. doi:10.1111/vox.13501 Cuesta H, El Menyawi I, Hubsch A, Hoefferer L, et al. Incidence and risk factors for intravenous immunoglobulin-related hemolysis: A systematic review of clinical trial and real-world populations. Transfusion. 2022;62(9):1894-1907. doi:10.1111/trf.17028

Laur Zimmardi DAS Phlebotomy Services How accurate are you blood test results? Do you know? It’s much more important than you realize. Your medication, as well as medical procedures, are dependent on your blood results. Inaccurate blood test results can easily cause your medication to be under or over prescribed by your doctor. Surgeons are especially concerned with blood test results to ensure a safe procedure. Your blood sample tells your doctor what is going on “inside” your body. You can help your blood tests to be more accurate. Were you told, or allowed, to make a fist at your blood draw? If you did, it’s most likely that your results were inaccurate. We’ve learned that making, pumping a fist causes your potassium readings to escalate. Potassium levels are used as indicators of your heart and blood pressure conditions. Heart and blood pressure medications may be prescribed, when in fact, they may not be needed. People are also reading… The person who draws your blood is to fill the collection tubes in a specific order, known as the “Order of Draw”. This procedure prevents cross contamination from different tube additives and provides for a more accurate result. This is only one of many aspects of your blood draw that requires attention to detail. How your sample was transported to the lab could affect the results. Was your sample to be at room temperature? Refrigerated, frozen or light protected? Each test has different requirements. So many things can affect the results. Abruptly shaking your sample versus proper inversion can alter the results by breaking down the cells. Did the person who drew your blood discuss your fasting and activities prior to your draw? They should have! Chewing gum before your draw will affect your results as if you ate a cheeseburger! If you were requested to fast prior to your draw, and you chewed gum, your results will not be accurate. You should have your blood drawn when you’re calm, in a “basal state”. No food, no fluids other than water, no exercise, and at the same time of day as your last blood draw. This is a primary reason why when you’re hospitalized, they take your blood at 4:00am each day. You should have your blood drawn properly by a certified, experienced, phlebotomist. Professional Phlebotomists “Protect the Integrity of the Sample”. There are only four States that currently “require” a phlebotomist to be certified, and Arizona is “NOT” one of them. They are CA, WA, NV, and LA. Remember! Your doctors and surgeons are using your blood results to make your healthcare decisions. Help them by “insisting” on a certified Phlebotomist. #lee-rev-content { margin:0 -5px; } #lee-rev-content h3 { font-family: inherit!important; font-weight: 700!important; border-left: 8px solid var(–lee-blox-link-color); text-indent: 7px; font-size: 24px!important; line-height: 24px; } #lee-rev-content .rc-provider { font-family: inherit!important; } #lee-rev-content h4 { line-height: 24px!important; font-family: “serif-ds”,Times,”Times New Roman”,serif!important; margin-top: 10px!important; } @media (max-width: 991px) { #lee-rev-content h3 { font-size: 18px!important; line-height: 18px; } } #pu-email-form-breaking-email-article { clear: both; background-color: #fff; color: #222; background-position: bottom; background-repeat: no-repeat; padding: 15px 0 20px; margin-bottom: 40px; border-top: 4px solid rgba(0,0,0,.8); border-bottom: 1px solid rgba(0,0,0,.2); display: none; } #pu-email-form-breaking-email-article, #pu-email-form-breaking-email-article p { font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, “Segoe UI”, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, “Apple Color Emoji”, “Segoe UI Emoji”, “Segoe UI Symbol”; } #pu-email-form-breaking-email-article h2 { font-size: 24px; margin: 15px 0 5px 0; font-family: “serif-ds”, Times, “Times New Roman”, serif; } #pu-email-form-breaking-email-article .lead { margin-bottom: 5px; } #pu-email-form-breaking-email-article .email-desc { font-size: 16px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 5px; opacity: 0.7; } #pu-email-form-breaking-email-article form { padding: 10px 30px 5px 30px; } #pu-email-form-breaking-email-article .disclaimer { opacity: 0.5; margin-bottom: 0; line-height: 100%; } #pu-email-form-breaking-email-article .disclaimer a { color: #222; text-decoration: underline; } #pu-email-form-breaking-email-article .email-hammer { border-bottom: 3px solid #222; opacity: .5; display: inline-block; padding: 0 10px 5px 10px; margin-bottom: -5px; font-size: 16px; } @media (max-width: 991px) { #pu-email-form-breaking-email-article form { padding: 10px 0 5px 0; } } .grecaptcha-badge { visibility: hidden; } Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox!

The Southern Virginia Higher Education will host an American Red Cross blood drive Tuesday from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. The blood drive will be held in the SVHEC’s Center of Nursing Excellence located within the 820 Bruce Street Building. The need for donors remains high, and everyone eligible to give is encouraged to do so. To make a donation appointment register online at www.redcrossblood.org/give or call 1-800-RED CROSS. SVHEC’s Center of Nursing Excellence and Southside Area Health Education will partner with the Southside Behavioral Health and the Southside Wellness Coalition to offer a free Rapid REVIVE! training Thursday in honor of International Overdose Awareness Day. REVIVE! is the Opioid Overdose and Naloxone Education program for the Commonwealth of Virginia, and provides free training on how to recognize and respond to an opioid overdose emergency using naloxone. Naloxone, also known by the brand name Narcan, is a prescription medication that temporarily reverses an opioid overdose by blocking the effects of opioids. If given in time, naloxone can save someone’s life by temporarily reversing the overdose and allowing the affected person to breathe again. Gov. Glenn Youngkin recently highlighted REVIVE! training as a critical tool in Virginia’s fight against the fentanyl and opioid crisis. Rapid REVIVE! will take place in the SVHEC’s parking lot from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Training will take place in 15-minute intervals so individuals are not required to stay for the entire event to receive training. Anyone 18 and older may participate in the training, and those who complete it will receive a free dose of Narcan while supplies last. Registrations are strongly encouraged, but walk-ups will be welcomed. To register visit www.southsidebh.org/revive.