Transfusion Laboratory Practice: Haemolytic Disease of the Foetus and Newborn

Details

Title

Transfusion Laboratory Practice: Haemolytic Disease of the Foetus and Newborn

Type

Stage One

Module code

HLS053

Requirement

Compulsory

Module objective

By the end of the training period with respect to Haemolytic Disease of the Foetus and Newborn, the trainee will be able to:

• analyse, synthesise, critically evaluate and apply knowledge
• perform a range of technical procedures and demonstrate a range of clinical skills
• demonstrate the attitudes and behaviours necessary for professional practice as a consultant clinical scientist dealing with the complexities, uncertainties and tensions of professional practice at this level

Knowledge and understanding

By the end of the training period the trainee will be able to demonstrate the ability to analyse, critically evaluate and synthesise relevant knowledge and its application to their professional practice in relation to:

• the standards and guidelines applicable to antenatal testing
• routine blood grouping and red cell antibody screening in pregnancy
• sample acquisition and scheduled repeat testing in individual pregnancies including women with anti-D, anti-c and antibodies of the Kell blood group system
• standards and specifications for reagents
• the clinical significance of blood group antibodies based on:
  • antibody specificity
  • antibody strength by quantitative and semi-quantitative methods
  • ethnicity
• complications of distinguishing between immune and prophylactic anti-D
• quantification of anti-D and anti-c
• titration of non-anti-D and non-anti-c
• blood group phenotyping of partners’ samples
• fetal genotyping in high risk pregnancies and screening for RhD positive foetuses in RhD negative women
• the principles, methodology and limitation of assessment of feto-maternal haemorrhage by acid elution and flow cytometry
• administration of anti-D immunoglobulin for patient use: storage, traceability, routine prophylaxis programme, dosing
• obstetric procedures in high risk pregnancies

Technical and clinical skills

By the end of the training period the trainee will be able to demonstrate a critical understanding of current relevant research, theory and knowledge and its application to the performance of technical procedures and laboratory skills and will be able to:

• schedule and apply routine and specialist blood grouping methods to antenatal samples
• assess antibody strength, by titration or quantification, of current and archived samples

By the end of the training period trainees will perform the clinical skills required to manage haemolytic disease of the foetus and newborn, under supervision and will be able to:

• manage the interpretation and reporting of test results, providing clinical advice and recommending further tests where required on the basis of:
  • antibody identification
  • antibody titration and quantification, including interpretation of archived sample results.
  • partners’ phenotype(s) and possible genotype(s)
  • fetal genotype
  • assessment of feto-maternal haemorrhage and recommendation for the dose of prophylactic anti-D immunoglobulin required for treatment
• lead communication among the multi-disciplinary healthcare professions involved in the management of alloimmunised pregnant women
• lead and evaluate education and training for nursing and medical staff involved in obstetric care to optimise the recognition and referral of high risk pregnancies