The term Transfusion Practitioner (abbreviated to TP) is an umbrella term that originated in the UK and is used internationally to describe the many and varied activities undertaken by an array of health care professionals in the areas of transfusion and patient blood management (PBM). Common terms that are used by countries to describe this role are Transfusion nurse, Transfusion safety/quality officer, Haemovigilance officer/nurse, Transfusion clinical nurse consultant and PBM coordinator/practitioner, just to name a few.
TPs come from different healthcare backgrounds, commonly nursing, scientific, and in some countries medical, which adds to the diverse skillsets seen in the role. As the backgrounds of the TPs are varied, so too are the activities they may undertake. The activities will be driven by a combination of the TPs skills and the requirements/strategic direction of the organization in which they work.
About
The Transfusion practitioner (TP) subgroup of the Clinical Transfusion working party of ISBT is an international group of professionals with an interest and working with or as Transfusion practitioners to promote best practice in blood management and transfusion safety. Our objectives are to develop educational tools and resources, create a network that promotes the sharing knowledge, research and ideas, as well as act as a forum for discussion.
TP subgroup role is to:
- Promote the role and value of TPs within the international transfusion community
- Provide a platform for international TP collaboration
- Support countries who do not have TPs to establish networks
- Empower TPs with resources and information to support them in their workplace
- Provide TPs tools and evidence to implement safe and appropriate transfusion practice including patient blood management strategies
- Support the ISBT Congress Annual Meetings with planning TP sessions based on current international demand and need.
Activities
We aim to meet at the biannual ISBT congress and hold regular teleconferences (~10 times per year).
TP meeting in Toronto, 2018
Networking afternoon session in Basel 2019 congress
TP meeting in Gothenburg, 2023
TP meeting in Barcelona, 2024
Current Leadership
