Project Updates: The 2011 Winners Tell Us How Things Are Going

Update October 20, 2011: Janice Schwartz has an update to the Plasma Protein Reference poster project, and Donnell Wolff sends the final draft of the Technologies for Antibody Detection poster for the Transfusion Medicine Poster Series.

Oct 19, 2011 — We invited the 2011 Learning Competition winners to let BloodTechNet supporters know how they are progressing. Have they reached the milestones they had hoped to achieve? What kind of challenges are they encountering? What changes to the project plan did they need to make? Have any new members joined their team? Do they need help from us? We are encouraging them to include pictures of their team, samples of work to date and any links to websites and resources they want to share. Here is the first of their periodic updates:

Large Projects ($15,000 - $25,000)

Transfusion Quest — A flash-based trivia game for transfusion medicine technologists nationwide. Nicole Caldwell and Claire McWilliam report what some of us have also discovered: “[the] game format is a big challenge.” Their solution was to adjust the game interface “in order to stay within budget limitations while still appeal to the player.” They've included a screenshot of their “case cracker” question format to show the result. Download their engaging update for more details.

Transfusion Bits and Bytes — An online library of 15-minute live lectures with 5-minute question-and-answer sessions. Aimee Beauchamp, B.C. PBCO Business Manager, writes that another, unrelated PBCO initiative has helped them identify a number of potential platforms for Bits and Bytes. We like synergies like that at BloodTechNet. For details and other updates, download her comprehensive report.

Transfusion Medicine Video Teaching — Twenty five-minute videos to educate Medical Laboratory Technologists who rotate through the Transfusion Lab and nursing staff during orientation at four hospital sites between Trenton and Brockville. Kelly Richmond reports: “We have just started to schedule staff to prepare scripts. We are continuing to finalize our list of videos. We have spoken to the Loyalist College Kathleen Bazkur, Coordinator Television and New Media Production 3D Video Production (Post-Graduate), Loyalist College in Belleville. She has scheduled us with post-graduate students in May for video production. It has been a busy summer and we have had numerous newly hired staff to train. Hopefully we will get our project moving along quicker throughout the winter months.”

Passing the Serology Torch — A series of hour-long weekend and evening wet/dry workshops held at the BC Institute of Technology that will be made available online. Cathy Lee expresses gratitude to voters for the opportunity to make their workshop more accessible and provides the following updates: “We:

• received our funding – thank you
• opened an account with Cheryl Dosen as treasurer
• drafted a budget (Cheryl did)
• had a teleconference to discuss our next moves
• liaised with Susanna Darnel to make sure we do not duplicate material that her team is developing
• “shopped” for a video producer and have chosen a company from the talented film industry in Vancouver
• will be meeting all together at BCIT on October 15th to plan how/when each presenter will present their material and how best to video tape each one.”

In January we should have lots more information for you.

Medium Projects ($15,000 - $25,000)

Plasma Protein Reference Poster — A frequently updated reference poster about plasma protein products currently available in Canada. Janice Schwartz sends this update:

The Plasma Protein Reference poster project has changed hands, which has gone smoothly except for a small hiccup concerning contact information and when this update had to be submitted...oops!! Robyn Shenner has left the project as she moved into a new position so Kathy Peterson and I are picking up where she left off. So far our biggest problem has been finding the time to actually work in the project as our staffing levels have been rather dismal lately. But we have been able to move forward in a few areas:

• We have a rough draft of the posters almost complete which I am attaching. We decided to have two posters instead of one with Factor concentrates on one and other products such as IVIG on the other. All of the information on one poster was looking too crowded.
• We met with Medical Media Services who have agreed to develop and print the posters once we submit the rough draft.
• We are looking at options for deveoping the posters in French.
• We will be in touch with CBS to verify some of the information on the posters and will need to get in touch with the manufacturers, which may prove to be challenging.
• We are not including off-label use as an indication the products.

Small Projects (up to $5,000)

TransMed Trivia Game — A series of multiple choice questions to be distributed by CDROMs and card sets across Canada. Dyanne Marlok writes how critical feedback from her coworkers has been. “ I quickly learned that the questions and possible answers needed to be clearly written and easily understood.” Her project update will be of special interest to anyone who wonders how any one person can take a small-budget idea and run with it. Download her update.

Transfusion Medicine Poster Series — A series of posters outlining basic Transfusion Medicine topics, with quizzes and keys to be distributed to Alberta hospitals. Donnell Wolff, Shauna Savill and Phil Savill report that three posters are in first to third draft stages. “Significant time was spent obtaining permission to use various photographs and pictures of various instrumentation, reagents and products” but that “all parties involved have been very supportive.” Download their report to see more posters in progress.