The difference in scope of practice between a specialist in transfusion medicine and the clinician who deals with transfusion on an ad hoc basis

BackgroundIn designing a training program in transfusion medicine, a range of factors needs to be taken into account. One of these is delineating the scope of practice of students in order to ensure a program that will be appropriate in terms of content, level of difficulty, and the requirements of the student's working environment. Very little has been done in terms of scientifically studying the differences in scope of practice of a specialist in transfusion medicine compared to a clinician who deals with blood transfusion on an intermittent basis.Study design and methodsA formal qualitative and semi-quantitative research approach was followed to determine and test the factors considered important in determining the difference in scope of practice between a specialist in transfusion medicine and the clinician who deals with transfusion on an ad hoc basis, and consisted of a literature survey, followed by semi-structured interviews and a Delphi survey.ResultsNineteen factors were identified, through semi-structured interviews, as being particularly descriptive of the scope of practice of a full-time specialist in transfusion medicine that differentiated them from clinicians dealing with blood transfusion on an ad hoc basis. Nine factors were identified as being descriptive of the scope of practice of clinicians dealing with blood transfusion on an ad hoc basis, which differentiate them from full-time specialists in transfusion medicine.ConclusionDesigning a training program with the end in mind requires an understanding of the variable contexts within which clinicians, who deal with blood transfusion, work. The findings of this study provide a framework for planning a curriculum that takes such differing scopes of practice into account.