For example, in the OR or ED there are many critical functions being performed at once, and often over long periods of time. No matter how well everyone is trained and how conscientious they are, we all know that once the blood product leaves the blood bank, anything can happen. Typically they are used for “hard to reach” areas where contact temperature measurement is difficult/impossible.Ī one-time temperature reading of a returned blood product provides little assurance that the blood was kept at the correct storage or transport temperature over the entire time period that it was out of blood bank control. Infrared thermometers are used in many different applications ranging from food service, to residential heating/cooling, to industrial. Most specifications for these devices state “non-contact surface temperature measurement.” They do not measure “core temperature” of any product, including blood.

Infrared thermometers are used to measure surface temperature without contacting the product being measured.

INFRARED “GUNS”) DO NOT MEASURE “INTERNAL TEMPERATURE” In this article, we present some problems and misconceptions, along with this blood banker’s good practices, that are communicated in the post. Currently, we attach a temperature indicator to the unit, but want something more accurate that is not difficult to operate, calibrate, etc….” 1 We issue products in validated coolers to surgery, ED, and other locations and sometimes we receive the products back that have not been used.

“Our transfusion service is looking for an infrared thermometer that we can use to determine the internal temperature of our donor units. At the same time, this post demonstrates a reliable, good practice! The following PathLabTalk post describes something we encounter repeatedly in blood banks – and illustrates several problematic misconceptions about determining blood product temperature on return to the blood bank. Learn as we explore common misconceptions about IR thermometers and surface temperature vs.

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