Purpose Statement

This article explains how to receive new Whole Blood inventory into a Med Kit. Use this workflow when adding newly delivered inventory to a Med Kit without first returning existing inventory.

If inventory is being exchanged with a supplier or blood bank, refer to Returning and Replacing Whole Blood Inventory instead.

During the receive process, users document shipment details, supplier information, delivery personnel, transportation method, temperatures, expiration information, unit identifiers, and visual inspection results before completing the transaction with the required signatures.

Background Information

Whole Blood inventory is typically received directly into a configured Whole Blood Med Kit. This approach places the blood product into the operational kit where it will be stored, counted, administered, or returned.

Agencies may also receive Whole Blood into Med Supply when maintaining backstock at a station, facility, hospital, or other storage location. For most routine workflows, receiving inventory through the appropriate Med Kit is the recommended approach.

A Receive action is only available when the user has access to the selected Whole Blood Med Kit and the required permissions. Other actions, such as Usage, Return, or Count, may not be available until inventory has been received into the kit.

Before beginning, confirm that:

• Whole Blood has been enabled for the agency.
• The required blood products and medication forms have been configured.
• A Whole Blood Med Kit has been created.
• The applicable supplier or blood bank exists in the Vendor Directory.
• Temperature and signature settings have been configured.

Required Permissions

Users receiving Whole Blood inventory must have the following permission:

• Whole Blood - Receive/Return

Additional access to the Medications module and the selected Med Kit may also be required based on the agency's role configuration.

Video

Step-by-Step Guide

Before You Begin

Use this workflow when:

• Receiving an initial Whole Blood inventory
• Restocking an empty Med Kit
• Adding additional blood units to existing inventory

If you are returning blood products to a supplier or blood bank as part of an exchange, complete the Returning and Replacing Whole Blood Inventory workflow instead.

Locate the Desired Whole Blood Med Kit

1. Open the Whole Blood Med Kit

• Select the First Due logo.
• Navigate to Medications.
• Select Med Kits.
• Locate the appropriate Whole Blood Med Kit.

Whole Blood Med Kits display Blood as the kit type. Non-controlled substance kits display Non-CS, and controlled substance kits display CS.

2. Start the Receive Workflow

• Open the appropriate Whole Blood Med Kit.
• Select Receive.

If no Whole Blood inventory is currently available in the pouch, Receive may be the only available action.

Enter Shipment Information

1. Select the Receive Type

Receive Type can be one of the following:

• Routine
• Emergency Resupply

Your agency's policies determine which Receive Type should be selected for each Receive Event.

2. Enter the Shipment ID (Optional)

Shipment IDs may contain letters, numbers, and special characters.

When completing a Multi-Action Workflow, the Shipment ID may automatically populate from a preceding Return Event.

3. Select the Supplier/Blood Bank

The Supplier/Blood Bank list is populated from the Vendor Directory.

A Pharmacy or EMS Supplier must already exist in the Vendor Directory before it can be selected.

4. Enter the Delivery Date and Time

The current date is highlighted in the calendar.

You can:

• Type the date and time directly into the field.
• Select the date from the calendar.
• Choose the time from the available drop-down menus.

Select the month or year in the calendar to quickly navigate to a different date.

5. Enter the Delivery Personnel (Optional)

Record the name of the courier or individual delivering the Whole Blood shipment.

6. Identify the Receiving Department Staff member

The Department Staff list displays your agency's personnel roster.

Search by name or scroll through the list to locate the appropriate individual.

7. Select the Transportation Method

Select the appropriate transportation method from the drop-down list.

This list cannot be customized.

8. Enter the Kit Temperature

Temperature thresholds and the temperature unit are configured in Medications Setup.

If the entered temperature falls outside the configured range, the system displays a validation warning.

The Receive workflow can still be completed, as Whole Blood products may occasionally be received outside the agency's configured temperature range.

9. Add Notes (Optional)

Enter any additional notes relevant to the Receive Event.

When applicable, notes may automatically populate from a preceding Return Event during a Multi-Action Workflow.

Document Whole Blood Product Shipment

1. Add Blood Products

Select Add Product.

Repeat this section as needed to document additional Whole Blood product types or forms.

2. Choose the Appropriate Product Form

Whole Blood Product Forms are configured in Medications Setup.

Available Product Forms are grouped into two categories:

• Whole Blood
• Packed Red Blood Cells

Only Product Forms configured for the selected Med Kit are available.

3. Select the Applicable Blood Type

• The Whole Blood feature supports documentation and inventory management for all standard ABO and Rh blood types.

• Available blood types include:

  • O- (Universal Donor)
  • O+
  • A+
  • A-
  • B+
  • B-
  • AB+ (Universal Recipient)
  • AB-

4. Enter a Lot Number (Optional)

Enter the manufacturer's Lot Number according to your agency's documentation requirements.

Lot Numbers may contain letters, numbers, and special characters.

5. Select the Expiration Date

The current date is highlighted in the calendar.

You can:

• Type the expiration date directly into the field.
• Select the date from the calendar.
• Use the month and year selectors to quickly navigate to another date.

6. Enter Product or Kit Temperature

Record either:

• The temperature of the individual blood product, or
• The temperature of the storage device.

This value does not automatically populate from the Kit Temperature entered earlier in the workflow.

Temperature units and thresholds are configured in Medications Setup.

7. Enter the Number of Units

Enter the number of units included in the shipment.

You can type the quantity or use the increase/decrease controls.

When receiving multiple units of the same Product Form and Blood Type, the system creates a separate set of identification and inspection fields for each unit.

8. Enter the Blood Unit ID

The Blood Unit ID uniquely identifies each blood product.

The Blood Unit ID is referenced during Usage, Return, and Count workflows to help verify the correct product.

Blood Unit IDs may contain letters, numbers, and special characters.

9. Enter the Color Description

Record the Color Description according to your agency's documentation requirements.

The Color Description is included in Blood Log reports.

10. Record the Visual Inspection Result

Select one of the following:

• Pass — Indicates the product passed the visual inspection.
• Fail — Indicates the product did not meet visual inspection standards.

Selecting Fail does not prevent the product from being received into inventory.

Product Failure Examples

11. Add Additional Products (Optional)

To receive additional Product Forms:

• Select Add Product.
• Complete the product information.
• Repeat as necessary.

12. Add Additional Whole Blood Action (Optional)

After documenting the Receive Event, select Add Action to continue with another Whole Blood workflow, such as:

• Usage — Document administered blood products.
• Return — Document replacement inventory that must be removed after it is received, such as a unit that fails inspection or is otherwise unacceptable.

Multiple actions can be combined into a single Multi-Action Workflow.

Sign & Finalize Blood Product Shipment

1. Select Sign and Finish

• Select Sign & Finish. 
• Select the required signer or signers. 
• Complete the configured signature validation. 
• Select Save.

2. Complete Department Signature Requirements

Signature requirements vary by agency configuration and may include:

• One or more internal users
• Up to four signers
• Signature only
• Signature and PIN
• Profile-prefilled signature
• Outside-organization signer

3. Capture Outside-Organization Signatures (Optional)

If an Outside-Organization Signer is required, enter the requested identifying information before collecting the signature.

4. Verify Blood Products in Med Kits

After the Receive Event is complete, the blood products are added to the selected Med Kit inventory.

Additional Whole Blood actions become available for the Med Kit.

The Kit Temperature and 1st Expiring Medication fields are updated based on the most recent Receive Event or subsequent Whole Blood workflow.

Best Practices

• Receive Whole Blood directly into the operational Med Kit unless the agency is maintaining backstock.
• Confirm that the correct Med Kit is selected before beginning the transaction.
• Verify the supplier, delivery date, shipment ID, and transportation method against the delivery documentation.
• Record the kit temperature before removing or inspecting the blood products.
• Use the Blood ID exactly as shown on the blood bag or supplier documentation.
• Enter each unit separately when receiving multiple units.
• Complete the visual inspection before marking the product as passed.
• Do not complete the transaction if required information is missing or appears incorrect.
• Review all product and shipment details before selecting Sign & Finish.
• Follow the agency's procedures when a unit fails visual inspection or arrives outside the acceptable temperature range.

Troubleshooting & FAQs

When should I use this workflow instead of Returning and Replacing Whole Blood Inventory?

Use this article when adding new Whole Blood inventory that is not replacing previously returned units. If inventory is being exchanged with a supplier or blood bank, document the Return Event first, then complete the Receive Event as part of the Returning and Replacing Whole Blood Inventory workflow.

Why is Receive the only action available for the Med Kit?

The kit may not currently contain any Whole Blood inventory. Usage, Return, and Count actions generally depend on inventory being present.

Why can't I find the supplier or blood bank?

The supplier must first be created in the Vendor Directory as an applicable pharmacy or EMS supplier.

Why isn't the Whole Blood product available when I select Add Product?

The product and medication form must be configured and active in Medication Setup before they can be received.

Can Whole Blood be received into Med Supply instead of a Med Kit?

Yes. Med Supply may be used for backstock or centralized storage. For most operational workflows, receiving directly into the appropriate Whole Blood Med Kit is recommended.

What happens when I increase the number of units?

The system creates separate Blood ID, description, and inspection fields for each unit.

What should I do if a unit fails visual inspection?

Mark the unit as Fail and follow the agency's internal procedures for handling unacceptable blood products. Do not treat the unit as available inventory unless agency policy allows it.

Why is a temperature warning displayed?

The entered temperature may be outside the minimum or maximum range configured by the agency. Verify the temperature and follow agency procedures before completing the transaction.

Why are multiple signatures required?

The number of signers and validation method are determined by the agency's medication signature configuration.

Can I document a Receive and Return in the same workflow?

Yes. Use Add Action to combine related events when appropriate. Refer to the Whole Blood Multi-Action Workflows article for workflow requirements.