Transfusion medicine handbook

Transfusion Medicine Handbook

10. NZBS Sample Requirements

It is not possible to overemphasise the importance of proper patient identification. Most errors relating to transfusion practice arise from administrative and clerical error. These errors can have serious consequences for patients and are sometimes fatal.

Collection and labelling of blood samples for pretransfusion testing is described in Section 3.6: Collecting Blood Samples for Pretransfusion Testing.

The sample acceptance criteria used by NZBS are based on the 2020 Australian & New Zealand Society of Blood Transfusion (ANZSBT) Guidelines for Transfusion and Immunohaematology Laboratory Practice. (https://anzsbt.org.au/guidelines-standards/anzsbt-guidelines/) . Blood Bank staff are not authorised to accept samples which do not meet labelling requirements. Where necessary these will be rejected, and new samples requested. Where a dispute arises in relation to a sample, the final decision on suitability for testing will lie with an NZBS Transfusion Medicine Specialist/Medical Officer.

The following tables provide a brief guide to the types of samples NZBS requires for laboratory investigations. Specific guidance can be obtained from the individual laboratories and NZBS Transfusion Medicine or Nurse Specialists.

Table 10.1: Samples Required for Pretransfusion Testing¹

Table 10.2: Samples Required for Diagnostic Testing¹

Table 10.3: Samples Required for Reference Laboratory Diagnostic Testing¹

Table 10.4: Samples Required for New Zealand Transplantation and Immunogenetics Laboratory¹

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Last updated: August 2025. Previously part of 111G122 – Transfusion Medicine Handbook 3^rd Edition

NZBS Reference: 111G02602