Blood & Vaccine Porters
Blood Porter - The blood cold chain
The blood cold chain is a series of interconnected activities involving equipment, personnel and processes that are critical for the safe storage and transportation of blood from collection to transfusion. Like any process, the chain is only as strong as its weakest link, and a failure of a link will result in the collapse of the chain. This has potentially fatal consequences for the recipient of the blood, and is why each link must be carefully maintained.
Breaks in the cold chain happen for many reasons. Far too often, the equipment does not meet standards of quality and safety – common examples are domestic refrigerators and picnic cool boxes.
An effective blood cold chain makes blood safer for patients, and reduces the unnecessary waste of donated blood and scarce financial resources1.
The CliniMed Blood Porter is validated to carry blood, plasma and platelets.
For further information on BloodPorter click here
Vaccine Porter - Maintaining the cold chain
Cold chain transport is an integral part of a system of vaccine transportation that assures the potency of vaccines. If the temperature of vaccines is not kept between the ranges of +2°C and +8°C, this can lead to adverse effects especially for the recipients of first time immunisation, as no protection is offered.2
The cold chain is the system of transporting and storing vaccine within the safe temperature range of +2°C to +8°C (WHO, 2006) and begins when vaccine is manufactured, moves through different storage and distribution centres and ends with the local immunisation.3
There are two essential elements of the cold chain system: the people who manage vaccine storage and distribution; and the equipment for storing and transporting vaccines. People handling vaccines are responsible for their potency at each step in transport, storage and administration. The cold chain is standard practice for vaccines throughout the pharmaceutical industry and compliance with the cold chain ensures that vaccines are being transported and stored according to the manufacturer’s recommended temperature ranges of +2°C to +8°C until the point of administration.4
The CliniMed Vaccine Porter and Mini Porter meet the requirements of Primary Care Trusts and Hospital Trusts for the controlled storage and transportation of vaccines. Community nurse requirements show that there is a need for a validated carrying system which can be opened multiple times.
For further information on VaccinePorter click here
References
1 Blood Safety and Quality: Quality systems standards and specification (WHO) available from http://www.who.int/eht/en/BloodColdChain.pdf, 2008
2. World Health Organisation (2006) Temperature sensitivity of vaccines available from www.who.int/vaccines-documents/DocsPDF06/847.pdf
3. Fernando, M. An analysis of clinical risks in vaccine transportation, Br J Community Nurs, 2004 Oct; 9 (10):411-5.
4. Wondergem, F. Maintaining the cold chain – VaccinePorter® review, Journal of Community Nursing, September 2008. Vol 22, Issue 9, 24-26.