I've been able to find some information on blood bank procedures in NHS hospitals and what sorts of checks you have to do and papers to sign etc. My story is set in the USA where I'm assuming the same sort of rules would apply. I was just wondering if anyone on this forum knows anything about them, particularly how well regulated is the use of blood bags in hospital? Also, would there be CCTV in the refrigeration room? (Don't worry- I'm not writing a Dr. Acula from Scrubs fanfic). How likely is it that people could discover missing stocks and trace it back to pin on someone? If a few went missing here and there would it be noticed, do they take regular inventories? Any advice would be appreciated as I really want to get this right.
Currently in the US a donor would have to answer a questionnaire about risks. It's an in person interview. I think you sign attesting that your answers are truthful. Then you get a quick hematocrit to make sure you are safe to donate. Currently your donation gets a bar code and it is indeed tracked all the way through the system. There may or may not be cameras in the pharmacy where the blood is stored depending on the facility. But missing units would be noticeable.
Thanks a lot @Ginger Coffee. What about expiration dates? If there were expired products would it be likely that someone could take those without being noticed?
That's a more promising angle. Blood is either burned (at a very high temperature to prevent toxic gasses from the bags) or steam sterilized and then disposed of by the hospital. Sometimes expired blood is returned to the blood bank for similar disposal. It's kept refrigerated until it is burned or sterilized to prevent bacterial growth.
Vampires run them and the blood goes to their thirsts! Don't trust blood banks! Lol jk idk anything about them.
Thanks again @GingerCoffee , you've been really helpful. So do you think it would be plausible for a doctor to be able to remove some expired blood bags from storage before they were taken away to be burned and for this to remain undetected? I can't have the doctor getting caught doing it, but eventually they will have to stop due to them believing they are at risk of being caught.
I don't think anybody focuses on what they are throwing out, I mean do you go to make sure every soda can you put in the garbage is still there when you through it out? Cause I don't. Just my 2 cents.
