So I went to the Doctor to get my Blood Type checked so I could list it on my RoadID.
While at the lab, the nurse/technician taking my blood said it was 'stupid’ to put my blood type on the tag because they will NEVER give blood to someone without ALWAYS FIRST doing a blood-type test on the spot. She was quite adamant that I should not bother listing the blood-type on my RoadID as it was irrelevant.
Your Thoughts?
Can you think of a situation where a blood transfer would happen without a test? I was thinking of movies/hollywood where solidiers put blood types on boots and such in case of emergency. I’m also thinking times-of-war and emergency situations (mostly end-of-world scenarios, remotely stranded situations) where blood transfers happen without testing. People ‘just know’ their type and magically give blood to someone else. I don’t know if that is even possible without specialized equipment, I know nothing of what is involved. Honestly ‘I seen it in movies’ was as good as my defence got. haha!
Oh and what about the hospitals/medical facilities in other counties? Third-world countries even?
I listed my blood-type on the RoadID anyways. Worst case, the emergency lab-work comes back with a different answer than my RoadID - maybe that will ring an alarm in someones mind On the other hand apparently I’m a rare Universal Recipient, so it is not so much an issue I guess…
You must be AB+
In an emergency situation, they will aways start with O- (the universal donor) no matter what the road ID says, then they were run type/cross in hospital. If you’re in a third world hospital, I’d be worried about more then just blood type issues…
When I got my ID, I asked my dad (an ED doc) about it. He told me that they triage first - do what is needed to save life/limb first. Medical alert bracelets with things like seziure disorders, diabetes ect help with that process. Other wise, the information on the id is just primarly used for name and contacting next of kin.
Ha ha! The smart lab nurse told you you were stupid to list blood type because it would be irrelevant.
I listed my blood-type on the RoadID anyways.
LOL! And you did it anyways. Then asked about it afterwards. Classic!
What happens when I wear my wife’s RoadID (which I have before), and it lists her blood type on it, and they give me the wrong blood? They always test your blood, or give you O-.
Problems problems problems. There are very few “lab nurses” lab techs and medical technologists work in the labs. Our lab with 300 employees at the medical center has zero RNs on staff. My wife who is a lifetime blood banker hates being referred to as a Nurse. And she is married to one.
If you show up at a trauma center bleeding all over the place, the trauma MD may give you uncrossmatched blood from a trauma pack with a number and not your name usually used in the first few minutes of your ER experience. This will happen only once. Then they move to type specific or crossmatched units to your type. You are crossmatched and given a “blood band” with your name and medical record number on it. No way in hell in the USA will anyone use information from your mouth or your Road ID to type and crossmatch you. WILL NOT HAPPEN PERIOD. It takes two MDs or two RNs to read your blood band and confirm your numbers to the bag they are about to hang after the cross match is done. Blood band off or numbers not right , no blood for you. That is the law.
Now if your really want to save your life put the words “Sinus Bradycardia 42” or 54 or what ever your resting heart rate is on your road ID. Head injuries and low athletic heart rates are often confused as head injuries. This can cause people with a heart rate in the normal 60-70s to drop into the 40s. So the the Trauma MD that does not know you from Jack sees a HR of 42 and is thinking Head Injury, not that you are training for your 12th Ironman. When I used to work in the Trauma Bays I sometimes had pointed discussions with MDs (I sometimes even trained with those guys).
“Dude has shaved legs, like 5% body fat, probably $500 dollars of cycling shoes, jersey, and ripped up shorts on his body, a $200 helmet still in place. Huge veins poking out all over his arms and legs. Maybe 45 heart rate is normal?” The clever ones might factor that in but, the ones that hadn’t paid their endurance sport dues never do.
So bottom line “the smart lab nurse” was speaking truth. You really don’t need your blood type on your ID. Back in WWII and Korea and possibly even today a military field hospital might use type specific blood in the field, but the dog tag was an issued government document. A road ID is not a part of your hospital record, until all information is confirmed.
Even in a combat setting you will get type O, Universal donor until I get type specific or crossmatched blood, both based on testing your blood. We have rapid field test.
We laugh at all the troops putting their blood types on their uniforms, tattoos, etc. We don’t use it.
If the test comes back different, they will laugh at you for putting the wrong blood type on your Road ID.
Yes, in basically all first world countries, they will type you before giving you anything other than O-. That being said, I am not sure 100% that mistakes aren’t made, especially in other countries, and there is no reason not to have it. It takes up very little room.
My road ID has:
Jordan Albert Rapp / 1980 → putting the year of your birth is useful for a bunch of reasons.
APOS/NKA/ORGAN DONOR -->blood / no known allergies / organ donor
MEDHX TRAUMA MAR 23 2010 → important because I have significant medical history - surgical plates, etc - stemming from this
JILL +1.###.###.#### → don’t forget the country code on phone #'s
MOM +1.###.###.####
Having that I’m APOS doesn’t take up any room that could be better filled with other information. So that’s why I put it on. It’s just taking up what would otherwise be empty space.
I work in a level 1 trauma center and asked our trauma director the same question. He pretty much confirmed what the nurse told you, but then added “but, if you’re going to be wearing the ID regardless, there’s certainly no harm in listing it. Information about an unconscious patient is never a bad thing”
So, I started with name and next of kin info first. But when I found I still had room my blood type and known allergy went on there too.
I have been registered with the American Rare Donor Program, and have a card with my complete blood type. It is:
A, Pos and s-,E-,c-,K:-1,Fy(a-),Jk(b-)
The last time I donated blood, the tech also worked in the lab and was familiar with the rare donor thing. She recommended that I carry the card with my driver’s license in case of accident. I have been wondering if this is something I should put on a Road ID?
I did talk with the bloodbanker wife about this and she said if you have an antibody problem with your blood that would be good thing to list. Then she also mentioned (reminded me) that they don’t even use bloodbands from other hospitals as proof of work or blood type and recross and match when you arrive at our facility.
So there is really no wrong answer here, but bottom line, they are not going to use your Road ID for your blood type in a medical setting in the USA.
Nurse was correct … it is useless information … but it is a free country and anyone can express their lack of smartness by putting their blood type on a RoadID.
I’ve been meaning to get a new Road ID (everything except my DOB is off on my current on) and I really like the idea of putting Sinus Bradycardia on it seeing how my RHR is between 32-40. I have enough issues giving blood, I couldn’t imagine the panic I’d cause if I was unconscious in the trauma unit. I guess while benign, it is a cardiac condition in the eyes of most HCPs. Thanks for the tip (that’s what she said!)
On the other hand apparently I’m a rare Universal Recipient, so it is not so much an issue I guess…