Shelf Life of Blood Components
| Component | Usual Shelf Life |
|---|---|
| Whole blood | Usually up to 35 days depending on preservative. |
| PRBC | Usually 35–42 days. |
| Platelets | Usually 5–7 days with continuous agitation. |
| Fresh frozen plasma | Usually up to 1 year when frozen properly. |
| Cryoprecipitate | Usually up to 1 year when frozen properly. |
Emergency Blood Request Protocol
- Confirm patient name, age, hospital, ward/ICU, and diagnosis.
- Collect blood group, component, units required, and urgency.
- Ask for doctor prescription or blood requisition slip.
- Coordinate with licensed blood bank only.
- Share donor instructions clearly and avoid panic forwarding.
Details To Provide During Emergency Request
| Detail | Example |
|---|---|
| Patient details | Name, age, gender, hospital ID. |
| Hospital location | Hospital name, city, ward/ICU, contact person. |
| Requirement | Blood group, component, units, urgency time. |
| Medical reason | Accident, surgery, dengue, cancer, delivery bleeding, thalassemia. |
| Proof | Doctor prescription or blood bank requisition. |
Rare Blood Group Management
- Maintain verified rare donor registry.
- Keep donor contact, last donation date, and location updated.
- Confirm blood group before donation.
- Coordinate with nearby blood banks and voluntary donor networks.
- Escalate early to regional/state blood centres.
Replacement donors: Hospitals may request replacement donors to maintain blood stock after issuing units. The donor may not directly donate to the same patient.