Patient blood management nurse vs transfusion nurse: is it time to merge?

For many years, nurses have performed the tasks related to blood transfusion monitoring and the associated quality-control documentation. There have been multiple job titles given to healthcare providers in this field: haemovigilance officer, transfusion practitioner, transfusion nurse, patient blood management (PBM) nurse, blood conservation nurse and blood management nurse. These titles share some overlap in tasks. In this article, the authors discuss Australian and US experiences of the historical transfusion nurse role, and the newer title of PBM nurse. The article will attempt to answer the question: is it time these two job titles and roles were merged into one, creating the evolved role of PBM nurse? It will define the unique nature of these roles and attempt to explore any differences between them. PBM is becoming a standard of care and embedded in institutions around the world. The transition and adoption of a joint role is timely, and the article also addresses the issue of appropriate staffing levels. PBM has become the overarching phrase that addresses the prevention of transfusion as well as the quality and safety needs of transfusion medicine. The authors propose it is time to merge the roles of the PBM nurse and the transfusion nurse, which would ultimately benefit patients, as well as more thoroughly address the needs of hospitals.