The Changing Façade of USP - University of the Sciences in ...

usp bulletin: alumni focus page 15alumni focusHUP Blood Bank Challenges USP GradsBy Carol R. CoolUSP shares more than the neighborhood with the University ofPennsylvania; sometimes it shares its graduates as well. One clusterof six USP graduates works together in the blood bank of the Hospitalof the University of Pennsylvania (HUP).The blood bank is part of the Division of Transfusion Medicineof HUP’s Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine. Thedivision also includes the apheresis unit and the stem cell laboratory,and it provides HUP patients with over 60,000 units of blood andblood products every year.The blood bank’sprimary functions, accordingto ASHLEY BLOUGHMT’02, are to “crossmatchblood for patients and identifyany patient antibodies.”The staff performs betweentwo and three hundred types“Team work is the essence both inand screens a day. Theysport and in business.”prepare red blood cells, freshfrozen robert plasma, l. mcneil, platelets, Jr.factor products, granulocytes,and Rhogam for patient use,ensuring patients receivetype-specific or type-compatibleproducts.Clockwise from left to right: ASHLEYUSP alumni at the HUP Blood Bank.Sometimes these bloodBLOUGH MT’02, TU SU MT’01,HUONGLAN CHAU MT’05, KARIproducts can be very difficult (YEINGST) RITI MB’92, and ANDREWto come by, said KARILUDKA MT’97 (seated).(YEINGST) RITI MB’92, whohas worked at the blood bank since 1993. “Once we had a patientwith such complex serology that we were receiving rare frozen bloodfor them from Africa.”Staff members must complete a minimum of four months of onthe-jobtraining. The reference work is performed in the bank’s ownspecial studies laboratory. In the near future, the blood bank will berelocated to Ravdin 3 Courtyard. The next phase of renovationsincludes a new donor center so that patients, their families, and thepublic will be able to easily donate blood products.Blough, Riti, and their four USP colleagues—ANDREW LUDKAMT’97, HUONGLAN CHAU MT’05, TU SU MT’01, and JESSICA(SWEENEY) HENRY MT’99 (on leave)—make up 30 percent of theblood bank technologists. One reason for so many USP grads in oneplace is HUP’s proximity to the USP campus. HUP recruits USPstudents to work part-time as clerical staff, hoping they will come onfull-time as technologists upon graduation.USP students find HUP’s blood bank attractive as well. “USPgraduates look for challenges in their careers,” said Ludka, “and theHUP blood bank meets those challenges.”Their time at USP equipped them for the rigors of the HUP bloodbank, the alumni agree. “Some of the classes at USP were very hard,but I learned a lot from that,” said Chau. For Su, it was the practicalaspects of the education at USP that madethe difference: “USP prepared me very wellwith hands-on experience during rotation.”The cooperative learning environment atUSP gave them real-world skills they canapply every day in their workplace. Workingas a team, said Riti, “helps peopledistinguish the line between running aroundlike a nut, getting stressed out, and handlingeverything yourself versus recognizingwhere your limit is and knowing when toask for help from the rest of the team.”“Collaborative learning taught us to look at situationsfrom different angles other than our own.”Andrew Ludka MT ’97The experience gained from working in groups at USP, “helps meto communicate effectively with my coworkers,” said Su. “Collaborativelearning,” said Ludka, “taught us to look at situations fromdifferent angles other than our own. Teamwork is the most importantaspect to the proper function of the blood bank. Withoutit, everyday tasks become difficult, and the workday becomescumbersome.”And the team at the HUP blood bank wants you to help maketheir job less difficult as well. “Please give blood,” begged Riti forthe team. “There are no FDA-approved blood substitutes for humanuse on the market, and there are always shortages. Up to threedifferent blood products can be made from each single donation.It is truly the gift of life.” Donate one for the team.