Implementation of procedures, whether new or revised, requires
planning and organization. Determining the plan of action requires
needs assessment and prioritization of resources.
2.0 Scope and Related Policies
2.1. Personnel shall receive initial and continued training appropriate
to their duties. Training programs shall be available for this
purpose.9.3 (A3.2.1), 9.2 (4.3.2.1; 4.3.2.2)
The effectiveness of the programs shall be assessed at least
annually by regular competency evaluation, and assessment of
program elements by methods such as interviews with participants,
review of test results or monitoring of changes in error rates. 9.1
(A3.2.1; A3.2.3), 9.2 (4.3.2.3; 4.3.3.1)
2.2. The blood bank or transfusion service shall have a process to
ensure the employment of adequate numbers of qualified (by
education and experience) individuals, the provision of initial and
ongoing training, and competency assessments of these individuals
at specified intervals. 9.1 (A3.1.1; A3.2.1; A3.2.3), 9.2 (4.3.1.1; 4.3.2.1; 4.3.3.1)
2.2.1. Records of the qualifications, training, and continuing
competence of individuals shall be maintained. 9.1(A3.1.3;
A3.2.1; A3.2.3), 9.2 (4.3.1.2; 4.3.3.1; 4.3.4)
3.0 Specimens
N/A
4.0 Materials
Competency assessment checklists
Written assessment material5.0 Quality Control
5.1. The recommended frequency of assessment is upon completion of
orientation, annually and as required for performance
management of technologists who rotate through or work in the
transfusion medicine area of the laboratory.
5.2. Ideally, the trainer should be a transfusion service technologist
with significant experience and good communication and feedback
skills. The employer should support and provide continuing
education in instructional skills and communications.
5.3. Written assessment material, including the answers, should be
available for all personnel to review as required, either individually
or with a trainer.
6.0 Procedure
6.1. Identify training needs. See the Guide for Use of the Technical
Resource Manual or, alternately, identify areas by evaluating
existing documentation. This may include the following.
6.1.1. Initial training and orientation
6.1.2. New or revised procedures
6.1.3. Error or incident reports involving test results or blood
products.
6.1.4. Exception reports or quality control documentation
indicating a trend or showing that a process or a test is
falling out of control.
6.1.5. Documentation of specific performance-related issues.
6.2. Select the guideline(s) that relate to the training need. Select
procedures performed by all technologists and any specific
training areas. See procedural notes 8.1 and 8.2.6.3. Obtain the competency assessment checklist for the guideline(s).
Additional facility-specific key job areas or assessment criteria
related to the guideline may be written onto the checklist. If this
is done, every trainee should be assessed with the same
additional criteria.
6.4. From the checklist, determine the prerequisite activities (if any)
required to fulfil the competency.
6.5. Determine the time required for each staff member to
demonstrate the prerequisite activities (if applicable) and
required competencies to the trainer. If assessment of many
guidelines is required, break the task down into smaller
“projects” that involve up to a maximum of 5-6 guidelines.
6.6. Communicate the plan to staff. Disseminate all materials for
review and comment. Allow all staff time to absorb the
information and to begin the task (see Trainee Information). Try
to allow enough time to prepare, but set timelines for completion.
6.7. Post timelines for staff. Ask staff to notify the trainer when they
are ready to proceed.
6.7.1. Allow time for staff to self-assess using the checklist(s).
6.7.2. Allow staff access to the written evaluation answers, to
encourage self-assessment and learning opportunity.
6.8. Schedule time for the trainer and trainee to complete the direct
observation. The written assessment may be reviewed before or
after the direct observation of the guideline.
6.9. Record direct observation results on the checklist. If the trainee
does not perform one of the steps or if the trainer answers “no” to
one of the questions in the “Key Job Areas / Assessment Criteria”
section, proceed to step 6.11.1.
6.10. If all rows on the checklist are answered “Yes”, place a checkmark
in the “Yes” box beside the “Is trainee competent to perform
procedure” question.6.11. If any assessment questions on the checklist are answered “No”,
place a checkmark in the “No” box beside the “Is trainee
competent to perform procedure” question.
6.11.1. Details of the actions the trainee performed in the
deficient key job area should be recorded in the
comments area at the end of the checklist.
6.11.2. A plan for remedial and corrective action should be
written on the checklist. This should include steps that
the trainee must complete before reassessment will be
done. See procedural note 8.3.
6.11.3. The trainee should not perform the test or procedure
that was under assessment unsupervised until
competency assessment is successful.
6.12. Both the trainer and the trainee should acknowledge that the
information on the checklist is correct by signing the
acknowledgement area.
7.0 Reporting
7.1 Records of competency assessment should be summarized on
form TG.001F1. The original checklist should be retained in the
trainee file.
8.0 Procedural Notes
8.1 A general guide to the sequence for training/assessing
competency is given below. This may be changed or rearranged
depending on the size and scope of the transfusion service. Review the Glossary of Terms A.001 Standardized Nomenclature for Blood, Blood Components and
Fractionated Blood Products IM.001 Patient Identification and Specimen Labelling (may not be
applicable to facilities that have a phlebotomy team) PA.001 Pathologist Consultation Protocol QCAI.013 Determining Specimen Suitability PA.002 Reading and Recording Hemagglutination Reactions PA.006 Labelling of Test Tubes and Block Set Up for Compatibility Testing PA.004 Cell Washing Automated and Manual PA.005Quality Control of Reagent Red Cells and Antisera QCAI.001 Patient History Check PA.003 Temperature Calibration of Waterbaths and Heating Blocks QCAI.006 Group and Screen RT.006 Prewarm Technique CT.001 Saline Replacement CT.002 ABO Group Problem Solving CT.003 Weak D Typing RT.003 Rh Typing Problem Solving CT.004 Direct Antiglobulin Test RT.004 Hemagglutination Reading Skills Proficiency Testing QCAI.011 Investigation of a Positive Direct Antiglobulin Test CT.005 Investigation of Transfusion Complications RT.010 Selection of Blood Components for Transfusion CSP.001 Visual Inspection of Blood, Blood Components and Other Related
Blood Products IM.003 Using the Issue/Transfusion Record
Immediate Spin Crossmatch RT.007 Antiglobulin Crossmatch RT.008 Rosette Test RT.009 Temperature Check of Blood and Blood Components QCAI.010 Products IM.002 Final Disposition of Blood, Blood Components and Other Related
Products Not Suitable for Transfusion IM.005 for Shipment.
Shipment of Blood Products Accompanying a Patient IM.007 Exclusion and Confirmation of Antibodies CT.008 Antibody Identification of Cold Reactive Antibodies CT.006 Antibody Identification of Warm Reactive Antibodies CT.007 Antigen Typing - Direct and Indirect Agglutination CT.009 Temperature Documentation of Blood Product Storage Equipment QCAI.002 Maintenance of Blood Product Storage Refrigerators QCAI.003 Maintenance of Blood Product Storage Freezers QCAI.004 Maintenance of Platelet Incubators QCAI.005 Thawing Plasma CSP.002 Thawing and Pooling Cryoprecipitate CSP.003 Pooling Platelets CSP.004 Dividing Red Blood Cells (RBC) CSP.0058.2 Selected Quality Control may be done by designated personnel
(i.e., only one or two technologists may be trained to perform and
have competency assessment for the following guidelines). Functional Calibration of Thermometers QCAI.008 Washers and Serological Centrifuges
Temperature and Alarm Check of Blood Warmers and Rapid
Infusion Devices QCAI.009
8.3 Additional training may include, but is not limited to:
• demonstration by the trainer
• more practice with self-assessment
• review of didactic material.
9.0 References
9.1 Canadian Society for Transfusion Medicine. Standards for
hospital transfusion services, version 1. Ottawa: Canadian Society
for Transfusion Medicine, 2004: A3.1.1, A3.1.3, A3.2.1, A3.2.3.
9.2 Canadian Standards Association. Blood and blood components
(Z902-04). Mississauga, Ontario: Canadian Standards
Association, 2004: 4.3.1.1, 4.3.1.2, 4.3.2.1, 4.3.2.2, 4.3.2.3, 4.3.3.1,
4.3.4.
Facility endorsement if guideline is used as a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP)
Authorized signature(s): __________________________
__________________________ Facility effective date: __________________________
Change Log
Competency Assessment/Training Needs Assessment
and Implementation Guide
Guideline: TG.001 Effective Date: 01 June 2000
Competency Companion to the Technical Resource Manual for Hospital Transfusion Services Page 7 of 6 Change Description Effective Date
Revision 1
2.1: Changed “The effectiveness of the programs shall be
assessed by regular competency evaluation” to “The
effectiveness of the programs shall be assessed at least annually
by regular competency evaluation, and assessment of program
elements by methods such as interviews with participants,
review of test results or monitoring of changes in error rates.”
6.1: Changed “specific areas that require improvement” to “training needs”
6.1.1: Added “Initial training and orientation” 6.1.2: Added “New or revised procedures”. Changed “If no
problem areas are identified, select procedures performed by all technologists and any specific training areas.” to “Select
procedures performed by all technologists and any specific
training areas.”
6.2: Changed “problem area” to “training need”
8.1: Updated names of guidelines
9.0: Deleted references 9.1, 9.2; added new references 9.1, 9.2
July 2003