Blood Transfusion: Resource Directory
Disclaimer
These guidelines have been produced to guide clinical decision making for the medical, nursing and allied health staff of Perth Children’s Hospital. They are not strict protocols, and they do not replace the judgement of a senior clinician. Clinical common-sense should be applied at all times. These clinical guidelines should never be relied on as a substitute for proper assessment with respect to the particular circumstances of each case and the needs of each patient. Clinicians should also consider the local skill level available and their local area policies before following any guideline.
Read the full CAHS clinical disclaimer
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This document is intended for use by the PCH Emergency Department (ED) only to provide quick-access links to the PCH Transfusion Medicine Protocols (internal WA Health link only) and the PCH Transfusion Medicine intranet page (internal WA Health link only).
The Transfusion Medicine Intranet Page contains useful information to support clinicians, including access to:
- BloodStar Registration
- Clinical resources to support prescribing, critical bleeds, transfusion reactions, and managing infectious patients having blood transfusions
- Consumer resources
- Education
- Forms
- Key transfusion medicine contacts
- Product information
PCH Transfusion medicine guidelines are informed by national and international best practice guidelines to ensure that transfusion practices are optimised at PCH.
The PCH Transfusion Medicine Protocols provides the following information:
- Blood and Blood Products: (Prescribing, Ordering Checking and Administration)
- Correct Labelling
- Note: If the request form or blood sample identification is incomplete, incorrect or illegible, the request for blood grouping or cross matching will be rejected.
- Sample collection
- Unknown patients
- Appropriate Prescribing
- Consumer information
- Obtaining Consent
- Equipment for Administration
- Checking procedure
- Care and Monitoring of Transfused Patients
- Documenting the Transfusion
- Accessing satellite fridges for use during pneumatic tube downtime or emergency use
- Issue of Blood Components
- Ordering Fresh Blood Products
- Urgent and Emergency Blood Transfusion Requests
- Critical Bleeding ROTEM and Algorithm
- Algorithm and instructions for ordering products
- ROTEM
- Critical Bleeding / Major Haemorrhage Management
- Blood availability
- Blood transfusion consent in the ED
- Roles and Responsibilities
- Activating the Critical Bleeding Protocol
- Direct Oral Anticoagulants – Management of Bleeding Patients
- Guidance on the use of Beriplex® AU (human prothrombin complex concentrate) in paediatric patients at PCHN receiving direct oral anticoagulants who are either actively bleeding, at risk of major bleeding or require urgent surgery.
- Contraindications and precautions
- Seeking haematologist approval
- Beriplex®AU Dose Calculation
- Blood Management Contingency Protocol (in times of shortage)
- Blood management in times of shortage
- Communication
- PCH Blood Shortage Response Plan
- Prioritisation of red cell transfusions
- Prioritisation of platelet transfusions
- Roles and Responsibilities
- Blood Product Management for Infectious Patients
- Double bagging requirements
- Receiving and returning blood products from infectious patients
- Special Requirements
- Transfusion Risks
- Fresh Frozen Plasma and Cryoprecipitate
- Administration
- Consumer information
- Indications, contraindications and ordering
- Immunoglobulins – various – see relevant protocols in the library. Note: Prescription requires individual clinician registration with the National Blood Authority BloodStar portal at every hospital where blood in prescribed.
- Plasma Derived Blood Components and Synthetic/Recombinant Products – see various protocols
- Transfusion Reactions, Adverse Events Management and Reporting
- Documentation
- Required investigations
- Symptoms
| Endorsed by: |
Head of Department, Emergency Department |
Date: |
Aug 2026 |
This document can be made available in alternative formats on request for a person with a disability.