Staff fatigue and transfusion safety – A hidden risk (SHOT Bite Number 38a)

Summary

Staff fatigue is a critical but under-recognised threat to transfusion safety. While clinical and laboratory staff may recognise fatigue as a personal challenge, it is rarely acknowledged as a system-level safety hazard that requires organisational risk mitigation. This document highlights why fatigue matters in transfusion practice, explores its contribution to safety incidents, and provides practical approaches to integrating fatigue risk management into incident investigations and daily practice.

This document was produced by SHOT (Serious Hazards of Transfusions), the UK’s independent, professionally-led haemovigilance scheme.

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