Transfusion Services

Director:

Manager:

Kathleen Nicol, MD

Stephanie Townsend, MT(ASCP), SBB

Department of Laboratory Medicine
Nationwide Children's Hospital
700 Children's Drive
Columbus, Ohio 43205
P: (614) 722-5394
F: (614) 722-5308

Hours of Operation:
24 hrs. per day, 365 days per year

Specialist II

Carolyn Burrow

722-5395

Transfusion Services

Services
The Transfusion Service at Nationwide Children's is responsible for the procurement, processing, and distribution of all blood products given to our patients. We establish and maintain an adequate inventory of whole blood, red blood cells, platelet concentrates, plateletpheresis, and plasma to provide what our patients need. All of our blood products are obtained from the American Red Cross (ARC) from volunteer blood donors. One donation of whole blood can benefit up to three patients by the separation of the blood into red cells, platelet concentrates and plasma.

The Transfusion Service is open 7 days a week, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. We are a staff of a Medical Director, Manager, Specialist II and 9 Medical Technologists. We are trained and competent to perform any testing needed to prepare compatible products for our patients. We do Blood Typing (ABO and RH) on all our specimens, antibody screening and compatibility testing on all our patients greater than 4 months that need blood. Also, we do any workups necessary to identify antibodies and the cause of a positive Direct Coombs (DAT). You might find us doing an elution, titer or a Platelet antibody test. We also manufacture all the blood products, from making a syringe of red cells for a neonate to irradiating a platelet or pooling 4 units of cryoprecipitate. We can do every facet of Blood Banking and are proud to be able to offer all these services to our patients.