Awareness and performance of blood transfusion standards in operating rooms of Shiraz hospitals in 2012

BACKGROUND Assuring safety and survival of blood in vitro depends on anti-coagulation substances, blood bag characteristics, storage conditions, and transport of blood. Besides, careful selection and screening of donors as well as blood tests can minimize the transmission risk of blood-transmissible pathogens and optimize blood health. The aim of this study was to assay the level of knowledge and practices among anesthesia technicians on blood transfusion standards. MATERIALS AND METHODS This descriptive cross-sectional study was performed among 85 anesthesia technicians Shiraz, Iran throughout 2012 who were examined by census using blood transfusion questionnaires and checklists. The data were analyzed using SPSS 16 software. RESULTS The obtained findings indicated that 32.44% of the technicians have corrected knowledge of blood transfusion standards; nevertheless, 73.84% have corrected performance. CONCLUSIONS The technicians mostly performed based on their habit and experience. However, their knowledge about blood transfusion and blood bag storage was low.