Retrospective Analysis of Blood Requisition Forms at a Tertiary Care Hospital

Introduction: The blood requisition form functions as a vital communication link between requesting physicians and blood bank staff. The proper completion of blood request forms (BRFs) is a frequently overlooked aspect by clinicians and insufficient information or errors during the BRF completion process can significantly affect the quality of laboratory results and consequently impact patient outcomes, resulting in increased resource wastage and a higher risk of inappropriate therapy. Aims & Objectives: This study aims to assess the completeness and consistency of blood requisition forms submitted to the Blood Bank of a tertiary care hospital in Lahore with the objective of identifying gaps to improve documentation practices and enhance patient safety Place and Duration of Study: The study was conducted at the Blood Bank of Shalamar Hospital, Lahore, over six months, from July 2020 to December 2020. The Institutional Review Board (IRB) of Shalamar Medical and Dental College (SMDC) reviewed and granted approval for the study protocol (SMDC-IRB/AL/101/2021). Materials & Methods: A cross-sectional, retrospective study was undertaken at the Blood Bank of Shalamar Hospital Lahore from July 2020 to December 2020. Data was retrieved from previous blood bank records, specifically focusing on the completeness of blood requisition forms. All blood requisition forms received at the Blood Bank of Shalamar Hospital during the study period were included in the analysis. Key variables assessed included age, gender, ward, provisional diagnosis, history of previous transfusion, history of transfusion reaction, and units of component requested. Data analysis was carried out using SPSS version 20.0. Descriptive statistics were applied to summarize data, with results presented as frequencies and percentages. Results: A comprehensive evaluation of 1000 blood requisition forms (BRFs) was conducted to assess their completeness and legibility. Among the analyzed BRFs, demographic data, including age was mentioned in 72.5% (n=725), gender in 75% (n=750), and ward in 67.2% (n=672). Pertaining to clinical information, the provisional diagnosis was documented in 48.7% (n=487), the history of previous transfusions achieved a completion rate of 62.4% (n=624), and the history of transfusion reactions was documented in 62.8% (n=628). The details of units of requested components and blood group were satisfactorily completed in 74.5% (n=745). Conclusion: The current study identified deficiencies in BRF completion, revealing a lack of appropriate demographic and clinical data for patients. The efficacy of audits assessing proper transfusion practices and the optimal functioning of the blood bank relies on the evaluation of meticulously filled BRFs.