Clean blood circulation is vital for the continuation of human life. However, in some cases, blood donation can solve health problems by taking blood from another person with the same blood group. After insufficient or unproductive blood formation, the solution is again possible from human to human. This led to the establishment of a state-sponsored blood donation system.
Blood donation institutions are one of the main pillars of countries’ health systems. Knowing the importance of these institutions and donating blood should be considered essential for society to continue in health.
Blood donation can be made in hospitals and different areas with special services, such as blood donation vehicles. Until a certain period, blood donation vehicles were located in the frequented districts and points of the cities. Today, services called mobile blood donation vehicles are offered.
The blood donation vehicles create the ideal areas where people suitable for this action can donate. The equipment that should be in the blood donation vehicle, where employees such as doctors and nurses work, makes it possible to carry out this process correctly and sterilely.
The biggest help in saving lives is “What are the types of equipment that should be in the blood donation vehicle?” and “How to choose the equipment that should be in the blood donation vehicle?” We have compiled the answers to questions such as:
What is a Blood Donation Vehicle?
Studies show that there are people in our country who need a blood transfusion every 4 seconds. The frequent need for blood also carries the possibility of saving people’s lives.
Blood is collected from volunteers by donation method. People who do not want to donate blood are not obliged to donate. However, in Turkey, five donors can meet the required amount of blood in just 1 minute. The great need has accelerated the efforts to reach more volunteers.
Today, blood donation vehicles are frequently preferred for blood donation. The equipment that should be in the blood donation vehicle turns all the vehicles used in this social responsibility project into an ideal environment for the process.
The blood donation vehicles go to the places where they are at the request of the people who want to donate. The donation process made by experts in these fields is as follows;
- Vehicles for blood collection are equipped with phlebotomists. Phlebotomists are people who specialize in drawing blood from the vein.
- Among the blood donation vehicle equipment are the needle, holders, and injection systems that collect blood. All of these equipment are kept sterile and for single use only.
- The blood draw takes between four and eight minutes. A donor can donate one unit of blood at a time.
The equipment that should be in the blood donation vehicle does not only play a role in the realization of the procedure. At the same time, there are sections where the blood units are taken, a comfortable area provided to the donors for the procedure, and places for the equipment. In addition, people are not sent immediately when the blood donation process ends. They are asked to lie on the blood donation chair for a while. Afterwards, donors can be given various treats to help them regain the fluid they have lost.
Which Equipment is Used in the Blood Donation Vehicle?
Blood donation vehicles must comply with mandated procedures. These procedures cover the vehicle’s features, its interior layout, and the equipment it must house. The equipment that should be in the blood donation vehicle is quite diverse. These types of equipment do not only consist of conspicuous tools used during the process.
Giving blood can mean saving people anywhere in the country. A mistake made can also fail to save a life. For this reason, the equipment that should be in the blood donation vehicle is selected with great care. A blood draw should be done in areas that are ideal for this action. Blood donation vehicles are also selected and arranged in line with this understanding.
Blood donation devices come in different sizes. Some stay in a fixed position where they are. These points are selected from the cities and regions with the highest human traffic. The equipment in the stationary blood donation vehicle differs from the equipment used in the mobile blood donation vehicle. Because immobile blood donation vehicles are wider, it is suitable for more than one donor to make transactions simultaneously. For this reason, it accommodates more seats, equipment, and employees than the more minimal mobile blood donation devices.
Although the size and usage pattern vary, the compulsory products among the equipment that should be in the blood donation vehicle can be listed as follows;
- Glove,
- Tourniquet,
- Alcoholic and non-alcoholic disinfectants,
- Cotton and gauze,
- Needle,
- Holders,
- Blood collection sets,
- Injector systems,
- Vacuum blood collection tubes,
- Adhesive bandage,
- Piercing cutter waste box,
- Test booklet,
- Other materials may be needed, such as ice and aluminum foil.
The equipment that should be in the blood donation vehicle is not limited to the above. The equipment mentioned in the article is generally used for the ideal process execution. Among the equipment that should be in the blood donation vehicle ought to be blood storage cabinets for storing donated blood units.
Blood storage cabinets have different internal volume capacities. It also differs in terms of technological equipment. Coolermed offers a variety of blood storage cabinet models in line with different needs. Coolermed blood storage cabinets with less volume can be preferred for blood donation devices.
The blood cabinet models have a special drawer design, ensuring the blood units are kept at the ideal temperature. Coolermed products, which allow blood units to be stored in an upright form, can also transfer data via Wi-Fi or cable.
What is the Blood Storage Cabinet in the Blood Donation Vehicle?
In the blood donation process, preserving the donated blood units is as important as reaching the donors. Donated blood units are kept in blood storage cabinets specially designed for this process until they get to hospitals. It can be said that one of the most needed devices among the equipment that should be in the blood donation vehicle is the blood storage cabinets.
Blood storage cabinets are preferred to prevent the blood from freezing. Transactions are carried out quickly on blood units given in the hospital. However, the situation does not progress similarly in blood donation vehicles. The blood is stored in storage cabinets and delivered to the necessary places. The blood units waiting until this time must be kept at +4 degrees.
Not using professional equipment such as a blood storage cabinet leads to problems. Because if the blood units are not stored ideally, differences in the rights of the enzymes in the blood and coagulation may occur. In addition, keeping the blood at the wrong temperature can trigger the formation of bacteria.
Blood storage cabinet, among the equipment in the blood donation vehicle, are specially designed to keep the blood in the ideal temperature setting, in the ideal location, and hygienically.
Selection of Equipment in the Blood Donation Vehicle
The equipment in the blood donation vehicle is essential for this process to be carried out ideally. For this reason, it is necessary to be meticulous when choosing equipment for use in blood donation vehicles. For example, blood donation chairs should be antibacterial and suitable for comfortable use by people of different body sizes. The same is valid for blood storage cabinets.
Blood storage cabinets are similar in terms of general features. However, the diversity of usage areas causes the cabinets to differ in terms of size, interior volume, and design. In addition to high-volume blood storage cabinets, Coolermed also offers small-volume cabinet alternatives. Small volume Coolermed blood storage cabinets are ideally sized to be used in blood donation vehicles.
The cabinets’ interior volumes and drawer designs are decisive in the amount of blood that can be stored in the cabinet simultaneously. When choosing the blood donation vehicle equipment, it is crucial to evaluate notions such as vehicle dimensions and the average number of donors who donate blood during the day. The blood storage cabinets chosen in this direction can meet the expectation ideally. At the same time, it makes it possible to deliver blood units to the necessary places without being damaged.
You can read our previous article from https://coolermed.com/en/serum-storage-conditions/.