Victoria has the largest transfusion nurse program in Australia, with 16 positions funded in public health services across the state.

AHA was engaged by the Department to evaluate the transfusion nurse program in Victoria.  To inform this evaluation a focus group, survey and interview was undertaken with transfusion nurses in Victoria. Findings were also informed by a comprehensive international literature review and consultations with a number of relevant hospital personnel and key stakeholders.

Outcomes from the evaluation of the transfusion nurse program included:

• Benchmarked the Victorian model against alternate transfusion practice improvement models involving transfusion nurses or practitioners (from overseas or interstate) that may deliver improvements in transfusion outcomes across the Victorian health system
• Identified the effectiveness of the transfusion nurse role in promoting safe and appropriate use of blood and blood components in Victorian health services, and the mechanisms that assist in embedding this new role into everyday hospital culture
• Provided examples of ‘best practice’ in use of the transfusion nurse resource within Victorian health services, and means for making these best practices common practices
• Identified practical ways to improving the effectiveness and efficiency of the role of a transfusion nurse.