Mass causality blood transfusion preparedness and appropriate clinical use by public government hospitals in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; a qualitative study
Background: The importance for assessing hospital blood transfusion preparedness is becoming significant as a first line of mass causality preparedness, due to increasing number of mass causality phenomenon globally. Transfusion support is a key enabler to the response to mass casualty events. Transfusion demand and capability planning should be an integrated part of the medical planning process for emergency system preparedness. Objective: To assess mass causality blood transfusion preparedness and appropriate clinical use of blood by public government hospitals in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia 2017. Method: A qualitative research method with content analysis approach was followed. The study was conducted from April 01-30/2018 at selected public government hospitals in Addis Ababa. Using purposive sampling method, key informants which include staffs working at mini blood bank service and hospitals administration body from each hospital were recruited basically until the information is saturated with maximum of 22 participants. Data was collected by in-depth interview using semi-structured interview guides. Notes and audio recording was used to take data and then it was transcribed verbatim and translated. Open code software version 4.02 was used for coding and further analysis. Trustworthiness was assured by strictly following the basic qualitative study principles. Result; Majority of the study participants don't have the information about mass causality blood transfusion preparedness. There are no real preparedness activities because there is shortage of blood for regular scheduled transfusion. The blood ordering process is not standardized in the transfusing hospitals. This is evidenced by suboptimal documentation of the blood ordering processes. There are no structural and operational blood order guidelines being followed in any of the transfusing hospitals. Conclusion The number of life-threatening injuries shows an increasing trend recently. And so the notion of precious blood gets into a focus of attention. So hospitals in Addis Ababa need mass causality blood transfusion preparedness. There was substantial variation in the appropriate transfusion practices across public government hospitals and appropriateness was influenced by the department stuffs because of lack of training on the appropriate clinical use of blood and poor facilitation of the hospitals .Key words;-mass causality, appropriate clinical use of blood, content analysis
