Times Observer photo by Brian Ferry Warren General Hospital Medical Technologist Sarah Wood pulls a bag of type O blood from the blood bank at the hospital’s lab. The hospital has been experiencing blood shortages and encourages those eligible to donate.

For the last year, Warren General Hospital has been experiencing a blood shortage.

It’s not a problem that pops up now and then.

“Daily,” Chief Nursing Officer Joe Akif said. “We’ve been there for almost a year.”

He said the supply is “hugely diminished” since the start of the pandemic.

Ideally, there would be 56 units of blood, including a variety of types, on hand at the hospital at any given time.

In the last year, there have been times the hospital has been down to 22 units.

It doesn’t take long to go through that amount.

According to Warren General Hospital Laboratory Quality Assurance Manager Wendy Trumbull, one trauma case or gastrointestinal bleed can require 10 units.

In those cases, there is no choice. Available blood must be used.

Other situations also call for blood, but may have to wait.

“In my 30 years of doing blood banking, we have always been able to fulfill the needs,” Trumbull said. “That’s not the case. We have had to evaluate cases.”

A shortage of blood doesn’t mean that a person in need of a procedure won’t get it.

But, if there isn’t an appropriate supply of blood, they might not get it on day one or two.

“For us, it’s the difference between somebody’s mom in the cancer center getting a unit when they really need it or waiting three days,” she said.

Having a supply of blood doesn’t just mean having 56 units. The type is important.

The hospital’s supply has to provide the needs for any blood type. “We have to keep two units of O-negative in reserve for emergencies,” Akif said.

There may not be time to determine the blood type of a patient.

O-negative is the universal donor – any patient can receive it. When the recipient’s type is known, the hospital would like to be able to match blood types exactly, rather than relying on type-O, but “you’re not getting your rare types,” Akif said.

In response to the pandemic and ongoing blood shortage, the hospital has tightened the strings on its blood supply.

The hospital was never in the habit of wasting blood, but, where once a doctor’s request was automatically authorized, now there is a review.

The medical staff evaluates the medical needs every time, according to Akif.

If two units are needed, two units are made available. But, if the second unit is a luxury, the staff will approve one.

And, “our pathologist has to approve any transfusion,” Trumbull said.

One situation that is less of a concern now is the shelf-life of blood products.

Blood can only be kept for so long. “Blood does have an expiration date,” Akif said. “It doesn’t stick around forever.”

Trumbull said Community Blood Bank has worked hard to make sure blood does not go to waste. “CBB is very good about moving blood around within their system,” she said.

Each donation of a unit of blood reflects multiple products. “One unit isn’t just helping one patient,” Trumbull said. “We get your red cells, platelets, and plasma.”

The blood shortage is not unique to Warren General. It’s a nationwide problem. The hospital’s leaders encourage people to donate, no matter where they choose to do so.

“It saves a lot of lives,” Trumbull said.

“There are two providers,” Akif said. “When you’re looking to stay local, one provider keeps everything in the region. The other has a different mission.”

“We do partner more with Community Blood Bank than the American Red Cross,” he said. “That’s just because of the local connection.”

He said the Warren County community is a generous one and the hospital is fortunate in that regard. “Warren has been very gracious in donating.”

But, the existing donors are not keeping up to demand. New donors are needed.

Every month, Community Blood Bank stresses the need for new donors.

Donating isn’t as convenient for everyone as it once was, Trumbull said. When blood drives are held at the hospital, there is good turnout. But, there just aren’t as many major employers in the community as there once were and COVID-19 is causing problems for businesses, schools, and others that might be willing or participated in the past.

“We are back to fire halls and churches,” Trumbull said.

She said she hopes people will go that extra step to help provide life-saving blood. “We need people to get out and donate,” she said. “We’re asking you to do that – seek out places to donate.”

COVID-19 isn’t the only thing that has impacted donor rolls.

There are also cultural changes that have limited some donors.

There are rules about how long a donor must wait after receiving a tattoo or piercing before giving blood again.

Those rules have relaxed somewhat.

Once, those who received new tattoos or piercings had to wait a full year to give. The deferral period is now down to three months for those situations.

There is no deferral period for people who received a COVID-19 or flu vaccine or booster as long as they are not having any symptoms.

Donors must be in generally good health, weigh at least 110 pounds, and be 17 years of age or older (or have a signed CBB parental consent form). Donors are required to provide photo ID and are asked questions about health, travel, and medications, to confirm their eligibility to donate.

There are Community Blood Bank drives scheduled for Tuesday, Oct. 19, at Holy Redeemer Center in Warren, and Wednesday, Oct. 20, at Youngsville fire hall.

CBB frequently releases information about other drives throughout the county.

Drive schedule information can also be found at fourhearts.org.