Evaluation of the current situation and the feasibility of the factors affecting the consumption of blood bags in Shiraz Nemazee Hospital

Blood consumption is of great importance in the world and Iranian medicine and is effective in saving the lives of many patients. The high cost of preparing blood and blood products indicates the considerable importance of managing the use of blood bags.

This study was descriptive and cross-sectional. The study tool was a researcher-made questionnaire with five options based on the Likert scale; its validity and reliability were confirmed by experts. The sample included 201 anesthesiologists, surgeons, and operating room staff of Nemazee Hospital to complete the questionnaire. Data were analyzed in SPSS 23 software.

In evaluating the current situation of optimal blood consumption management in the operating rooms from the participants' point of view, the most common items included:  "Development of educational programs to manage blood consumption through meetings and lectures, and retraining and training workshops" and "Registration and reporting of reasons for obsolescence of blood products (e.g. poor performance in over-ordering)" (79.1% and 78.1%, respectively). In terms of feasibility, the most common factors improving the current situation consisted of: "Use of safe blood transport equipment in the hospital" and "Prioritize the use of older blood bags instead of newer blood bags (in accordance with FIFO law (First In / First Out) by blood banks)".

This study showed that blood reservation is done too much. In this regard, there is a need for more control in terms of quality and quantity in the operating room of hospitals.