Blood Usage by Speciality in Health Institutions in Abia State: Documentation, A Major Challenge

No Thumbnail Available
Date
2024
Authors
Uche, C.L
Ezirim, E.O
Ogbenn, A.A
Chikezie, K
Owojiyugbe, T.O
Iwuoha, E.C
Ndukwe, P.E
Eke, O.K
Abali, I.O
Ndukwe, C.O
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Clinics in Nursing
Abstract
Background: Efficient blood usage is essential for optimal healthcare delivery. However, poor documentation remains a significant challenge in accurately assessing blood usage by specialty. This study explores blood utilization across specialties in health institutions in Abia State, Nigeria, highlighting the challenges in documentation and the distribution patterns of blood use. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional, retrospective study was conducted over six months, involving 13 health institutions in the three senatorial zones of Abia State: Abia North, Abia South, and Abia Central. Health facilities that met inclusion and exclusion criteria were included. Data were collected using a semi-structured, interviewer-administered questionnaire and blood bank records from January to June 2022. Analysis was performed using SPSS version 23, with descriptive statistics and frequency distributions presented for demographic and categorical data. Results: A total of 4,724 blood donations were documented, with government institutions contributing the majority (51.9%) of collections. Internal Medicine utilized the highest proportion of blood (51.04%), followed by Accident and Emergency (16.81%), Obstetrics and Gynecology (14.67%), Surgery (8.30%), and Paediatrics (9.20%). The absence of computerized documentation in all institutions and lack of standardized record-keeping hindered efficient data retrieval. Conclusion: Internal Medicine accounted for the highest blood usage among specialties, while Paediatrics used the least. Documentation inconsistencies and manual record-keeping practices present significant barriers to reliable blood usage tracking. Enhancing data documentation and implementing computerized systems in health institutions are recommended to improve accuracy and efficiency.
Description
Scholarly article
Keywords
Citation
Uche, C. L., Ezirim, E. O., Ogbenna, A. A., Chikezie, K., Owojiugbe. T. O., Iwuoha, E. C., Ndukwe, P. E., et al. (2024). Blood Usage by Speciality in Health Institutions in Abia State: Documentation, a Major Challenge, Clinics in Nursing, 3(5), 1-7