Field Trip
My med tech class took a field trip to Lifeblood, based in Memphis, a blood processing and collection center. The trip was very educational.
I always thought when someone received a blood transfusion they were getting whole blood, but that's not always the case. Depending on the situation, the patient could just receive plasma or platelets, etc.
Seeing the process from beginning to end was intriguing as well. It takes a lot of time and precision to make sure you're separating the different components accurately and precisely. Unlike other areas of the lab, the blood banking profession is very closely regulated by the FDA because blood is considered a drug.
It was interesting to learn about all the quality control involved as well, from the blood products' temperatures to the effectiveness of the transport boxes the products are delivered in.
It's important to make sure you are giving the patient a safe blood product. I believe we all enjoyed visiting Lifeblood and seeing the blood bank laboratory in action. Some of us were also moved to donate blood!