Purpose Statement
Whole Blood Med Kits define where blood products are stored and how inventory is managed within the Medications module.
Administrators can create Whole Blood Med Kits, assign them to vehicles or storage locations, configure locks or seals, organize blood products into pouches, establish minimum PAR requirements, and duplicate kits when multiple vehicles use the same configuration.
Important Note:
Whole Blood is a paid product upgrade. Agencies must work with First Due Implementation or Customer Success to add the feature to their contract and enabled it within their account.
Background Information
The Med Kit List displays the medication kits available within the organization, including non-controlled, controlled substance, and Whole Blood kits.
A Whole Blood Med Kit may represent the refrigerator, cooler, container, or other storage method used to hold blood products. Each kit can be assigned to an asset location, placed in or out of service, and configured with the pouches and minimum inventory requirements needed by the agency.
Creating the Med Kit establishes the expected inventory configuration. It does not physically add Whole Blood inventory to the kit. Inventory must be added through the receiving workflow.
Required Permissions
Users creating or managing Whole Blood Med Kits must have the following permission:
- Whole Blood - Manage Setup
Depending on the agency's role configuration, access to the Medications module and Med Kit List may also be required.
Video
Step-by-Step Guide
1. Open the Med Kit List
- Select the First Due logo.
- Navigate to Medications.
- Select Med Kit List.
The Med Kit List displays all medication kits available within your organization.
2. Create a Whole Blood Med Kit
- Select Add Med Kit.
- Enter a Kit Name.
- Enter a unique Kit ID.
The Kit Name can be reused across multiple Med Kits; however, each Kit ID must be unique.
For example, several vehicles may use the Kit Name Ambulance Blood Storage, while each Med Kit has a unique Kit ID based on its assigned unit.
Configure the remaining Med Kit settings as needed:
- Enter the Manufacturer or Model, if applicable.
- Assign the Med Kit to a vehicle compartment, pouch, or storage location, if desired.
- Enter an In-Service Date, if applicable.
- Set the kit status to In Service or Out of Service.
- Enable Whole Blood.
Warning:
A Med Kit cannot be configured as both a Whole Blood kit and a Controlled Substance kit. Enabling one kit type automatically disables the other.
3. Configure a Lock or Seal
Select the access-control method for the Med Kit:
- Lock — Users can perform Whole Blood workflows without replacing a tamper-evident seal.
- Seal — Users who open the Med Kit during applicable workflows must complete a count and enter a replacement seal before the workflow can be completed.
The selected option determines how users complete Count and Multi-Action Workflows.
4. Configure Count Requirements
Enable Require a Count if personnel should perform routine inventory verification for the Med Kit.
Warning:
Enabling this option does not automatically create a Count Schedule.
If scheduled counts are required, the Med Kit must also be assigned to an applicable Whole Blood Count Schedule.
5. Add and Manage Med Kit Pouches
Whole Blood Med Kits use pouches to organize blood products within the Med Kit.
To configure pouches:
- Add a new pouch.
- Enter a descriptive pouch name.
- Repeat as needed for additional storage areas.
For example, an agency may create separate pouches for:
- Whole Blood
- Packed Red Blood Cells
Administrators can:
- Edit existing pouches.
- Delete pouches.
- Rename the default Main Pouch.
- Reorder pouches when more than two have been created.
6. Add Blood Products to a Pouch
- Open the applicable pouch.
- Select Add Medication.
- Select one of the configured Whole Blood Product Forms.
- Enter the minimum quantity required for PAR management.
- Select Save.
For example, configuring a minimum quantity of 1 for a 500 mL Whole Blood Bag means the pouch is expected to contain at least one unit of that product.
When inventory falls below the configured minimum, the system displays a PAR warning.
Adding a Medication Form defines the Med Kit's expected inventory. It does not physically receive or add inventory to the Med Kit.
7. Save the Med Kit
After completing the Med Kit configuration:
- Review all settings.
- Select Save.
The Med Kit appears in the Med Kit List with Blood displayed as the Kit Type.
8. Manage Existing Whole Blood Med Kits
From the Med Kit List, administrators can manage existing kits using individual or bulk actions.
Available actions include:
- Edit
- Delete
- Activate
- Deactivate
- Archive
- Assign to a compartment, pouch, or storage location
- Change status in bulk
- Duplicate
Use the Kit Type column or filter to quickly locate Whole Blood Med Kits.
9. Duplicate an Existing Whole Blood Med Kit
Duplicating a Med Kit is the fastest way to create multiple kits with the same configuration.
Duplicate a Med Kit when multiple kits share the same:
- Manufacturer or Model
- In-Service Status
- Lock or Seal configuration
- Pouch structure
- PAR minimums
- Blood Product Forms
To duplicate a Med Kit:
- Open the Actions menu.
- Select Duplicate Kit.
- Enter the number of duplicates to create.
- Enter a unique Kit ID for each new Med Kit.
- Enter or retain the desired Kit Name.
- Assign each Med Kit to a location, if applicable.
- Complete the duplication process.
Each duplicated Med Kit must have a unique Kit ID, even when the Kit Name is shared.
Best Practices
- Use a consistent naming convention for Whole Blood Med Kits across the organization.
- Make the Kit ID specific to the assigned vehicle, station, or storage location.
- Choose the lock or seal option based on the agency's accountability workflow before placing the kit into service.
- Create count schedules whenever Require a Count is enabled.
- Use clear pouch names so users can quickly identify where each blood product is stored.
- Set minimum PAR levels that reflect the amount of inventory the kit should contain during normal operations.
- Duplicate kits when several vehicles use the same configuration instead of creating each kit from scratch.
- Confirm that the correct medication forms exist before adding products to a pouch.
- Remember that Med Kit configuration does not add inventory; products must still be received into the kit.
Troubleshooting & FAQs
Why can't I configure the kit as both Whole Blood and Controlled Substance?
Whole Blood and controlled substance kit types are mutually exclusive. Enabling one option disables the other.
Why is a count required after a user opens a sealed kit?
Sealed kits use a resealing workflow. After the seal is broken, the user must verify the inventory and enter the new seal information before completing the action.
Does a locked kit require the same resealing workflow?
No. Kits configured with locks do not require users to complete the seal replacement workflow.
Why isn't the blood product available when I select Add Medication?
The blood product and its medication form must first be created in Medication Setup. Verify that the required Whole Blood or Packed Red Blood Cell form is active.
Does adding a blood product to a pouch place inventory in the Med Kit?
No. Adding the product establishes the pouch's expected inventory and PAR requirement. Inventory must be added through a Receive event.
Why am I seeing a PAR management warning?
The inventory in the pouch is below the configured minimum quantity for that medication form.
Can several Med Kits use the same Kit Name?
Yes. Kit Names may be reused, but every Kit ID must be unique.
When should I duplicate a Med Kit?
Duplicate a kit when multiple vehicles or storage locations use the same configuration. This reduces setup time and improves consistency.