Working With Nurses To Maintain The Safety Of Canada's Blood Supply

Main Category: Nursing / Midwifery
Also Included In: Blood / Hematology
Article Date: 05 Mar 2009 - 1:00 PDT

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The Ontario Nurses' Association issued a news release earlier containing unfounded claims that Canadian Blood Services is putting the national blood supply at risk as a result of proposed changes to the role of registered nurses at blood donor clinics. Canadian Blood Services wishes to correct the record on these claims.

Registered nurses are, and will continue to be, a vital part of the team at Canadian Blood Services. However, like many health organizations, Canadian Blood Services is struggling to attract and retain qualified nurses. This problem is forecast to worsen as the Canadian Nurses Association anticipates a national shortfall of 78,000 registered nurses by 2011. Even today, the escalating nursing shortage has challenged our organization's ability to collect blood and blood products in some areas of the country.

Given the current recruitment and retention challenges, Canadian Blood Services is endeavouring to make better use of its limited number of registered nurses - about 280 in Ontario - by leveraging their skills and training to offer them leadership opportunities within the organization.

While there will be an overall reduction in the number of nurses operating in our whole blood clinics in the future, registered nurses that we continue to employ will focus on more complex donor eligibility questions that make better use of their training and analytical skills.

Canadian Blood Services plans to move to this new operating model gradually with no involuntary layoffs of nurses. This transition will be progressive and occur over several years as our annual 15 per cent attrition rate among nursing staff runs its course.

In terms of safety, Canadian Blood Services will continue to take all necessary steps to ensure the highest degree of quality for our blood and blood products. Canadians can rest assured that our organization has appropriate checks and balances in place to guarantee that this strategy maintains the highest level of safety throughout the blood system that we've worked so hard to build over the past decade.

Current donor screening processes are prescriptive and designed to accurately determine the health and eligibility of individuals to donate blood. While registered nurses have performed this function ably, it is not a function that needs to be performed by a nurse. Thoroughly trained clinic assistants and phlebotomists are equally capable of assessing donor eligibility and drawing blood and plasma from people.

With the integrity of the blood system in mind, Canadian Blood Services is working with a recognized post-secondary institution to ensure that clinic assistants and phlebotomists receive the training needed to maintain the highest degree of safety in the blood system.

In fact, the training clinic assistants and phlebotomists receive will be more comprehensive than the donor screening training that is now provided to nurses. And, each donor clinic will continue to be staffed with at least one nurse consultant and one registered nurse who will oversee all activities.

Once fully implemented, Canadian Blood Services' new "multi-skilled workforce" will give our organization the flexibility to move staff from one station to another and improve the flow of our clinics, reduce bottlenecks, and make better use of donors' time. In this way, Canadian Blood Services will be able to maintain the integrity of the blood system and improve the blood donation experience for Canadians.

Many things remain to be worked out as part of this transition, but a few things are certain: First, nurses will continue to be an integral part of the team at Canadian Blood Services. Second, Canadian Blood Services will continue to hold discussions with the Ontario Nurses' Association and other unions to arrive at a solution that is in the best interest of the healthcare system.

Finally - and most importantly - Canadian Blood Services' overriding priority will continue to be safety above all other considerations.

Canadian Blood Services

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