Overview

Blood bank technology specialists are responsible for testing donated blood before it is used in transfusions. These highly trained health workers help ensure that blood products are properly typed and labeled and free of disease.

The American Association of Blood Banks establishes Standards for Blood Banks and Transfusion Services, which promote the safety and quality of blood products used in hospitals and transfusion centers.

Individuals certified as Specialists in Blood Banking by the American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP) are knowledgeable in all aspects of blood banking, transfusion medicine, hematopoietic, cellular and gene therapies, and tissue transplantation.

These individuals are subject matter experts on variety of subjects including regulatory and quality systems, genetics, immunology, blood groups, collection and storage of blood and components, donor processing, immune mechanisms, component therapy, transfusion of the newborn, complications of transfusion, general administration, personnel administration, education and automated data processing.

Specialists in Blood Banking serve in many roles within the transfusion medicine field such as regulatory experts, technical/procedural advisors, laboratory administrators, quality assessors and managers, educators within their field for technical and scientific training in blood transfusion medicine and researchers in transfusion medicine.

Blood bank technology specialists:

• screen potential blood donors to eliminate people who have certain health issues that could endanger a transfusion patient
• draw, type and separate donated blood into its components, such as platelets and plasma
• screen for health risks such as anemia, hepatitis and HIV
• perform additional tests to identify the group antigens, compatibility and antibodies in the blood
• properly label and store blood products
• investigate when a patient has a negative reaction to a blood transfusion
• assist physicians during transfusion therapy with patients who have blood clotting problems or hope to receive tissue or organ transplants

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Blood Bank Technology Specialist 31 Dec 2008 [pdf, 183 KB]

Working Conditions

Blood bank technology specialists are employed by community blood banks, hospital blood banks and transfusion centers, organ and tissue transplantation laboratories and blood bank equipment suppliers.

Most work normal business hours, although night and weekend shifts are not uncommon. In an emergency, such as a natural disaster or multi-injury crash, blood bank technology specialists may be called in to assist in rapidly collecting and processing blood to meet increased demand.

Experienced blood bank technology specialists can become supervisors, administrators, laboratory managers, educators and researchers.