title: Assessment of performance of professionals in immunohematology proficiency tests of the public blood bank network of the state of Minas Gerais.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Despite significant advances, the practice of blood transfusion is still a complex process and subject to risks. Factors that influence the safety of blood transfusion include technical skill and knowledge in hemotherapy mainly obtained by the qualification and training of teams.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study aimed to investigate the relationship between professional categories working in transfusion services of the public blood bank network in the State of Minas Gerais and their performance in proficiency tests.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was an observational cross-sectional study (2007-2008) performed using a specific instrument, based on evidence and the results of immunohematology proficiency tests as mandated by law.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The error rates in ABO and RhD phenotyping, irregular antibody screening and cross-matching were 12.5%, 9.6%, 43.8% and 20.1%, respectively. When considering the number of tests performed, the error rates were 4.6%, 4.2%, 26.7% and 11.0%, respectively. The error rates varied for different professional categories: biochemists, biologists and biomedical scientists (65.0%), clinical pathology technicians (44.1%) and laboratory assistants, nursing technicians and assistant nurses (74.6%). A statistically significant difference was observed when the accuracy of clinical pathology technicians was compared with those of other professionals with only high school education (p-value < 0.001). This was not seen for professionals with university degrees (p-value = 0.293).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results reinforce the need to invest in training, improvement of educational programs, new teaching methods and tools for periodic evaluations, contributing to increase transfusion safety and improve hemotherapy in Brazil.
authors.affiliation: Research Department, Fundação Centro de Hematologia e Hemoterapia do Estado de Minas Gerais, Fundação Hemominas, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazi.
authors.forename: Stela
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Brener
authors.forename: Angela Melgaço
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Ferreira
authors.forename: Ricardo Vilas Freire
authors.initials: RV
authors.lastname: de Carvalho
authors.forename: Marcele Cunha Ribeiro
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: do Valle
authors.forename: Helio Moraes
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Souza