Become a Blood Management Nurse in 3 Steps

Nurse Types / Blood Management Nurse

Blood management nurses are responsible for implementing and managing transfusions of blood and other blood products for patients with blood loss or blood disorders. This could include blood loss related to injury or surgery, or due to conditions like anemia or cancer. 

This specialized career requires an in-depth knowledge of blood transfusions, including when they are necessary and how to implement them. Learn more about how to become a blood management nurse, including:

• What is a blood management nurse?
• What do blood management nurses do?
• Where do blood management nurses work?
• What are specific types of blood management nurses?
• How do you become a blood management nurse in 3 steps?
• What are the salary and career outlooks for blood management nurses? 

What is a blood management nurse?

Blood management nurses are part of clinical teams that oversee patient blood management programs in hospitals, clinics, or outpatient centers.

Patient blood management actually strives to eliminate the need for blood transfusions. Blood management nurses accomplish this through evidence-based medical and surgical techniques that can reduce blood loss during surgery and help patients stay medically stable during illness and recovery. 

In other words, blood management nurses use evidence-based strategies to help patients prevent anemia and maintain their own healthy blood supply.

Patient blood management is a relatively new field and has three primary goals:

1. Improve patient’s red blood cell amounts through specialized medications as well as iron and vitamin supplements.
2. Minimize blood loss through advanced surgical and anesthetic techniques. 
3. Increase heart and lung function to minimize the impact of anemia, which can reduce the need for blood transfusions. 

Blood management nursing is closely related to infusion nursing, but there is more emphasis on improving clinical practices so blood transfusions are only used when absolutely needed. This career may involve elements of administration, research, and best practice development.

Qualities of a successful blood management nurse

A blood management nurse must:

• Be detail-oriented 
• Understand how to safely administer blood and blood products
• Have strong communication and teamwork skills
• Understand effective patient education techniques
• Understand the role of patient blood management within larger plans of care

While blood management nurses work closely with patients, they may also be involved in research or the development of best practices for an entire unit or hospital. For this reason, it can be useful also to have experience with research, interdisciplinary team efforts, or hospital administration.

What do blood management nurses do?

Blood management is about more than performing blood transfusions. Blood management nurses also use their clinical expertise to help patients prevent blood loss and avoid anemia. In other words, a key part of this job is preventing the need for blood transfusions in the first place.

Additionally, blood management nurses may find opportunities to get involved in research and best practice development, management of blood programs, or blood donation drives.

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A day in the life a blood management nurse

On a clinical level, blood management nurses are specialists in blood transfusions. This work involves:

• Assessing patients to determine if a blood transfusion is necessary.
• Collaborating with a healthcare team to advise when a transfusion is necessary.
• Teaching patients and their loved ones about blood transfusions and how to manage their conditions as relates to blood loss and blood transfusions.
• Working closely with blood banks to ensure that sufficient supplies and resources are available at all times.
• Performing transfusions of blood and other blood products, including initiation of intravenous lines, administration of blood products, monitoring for side effects, evaluation of treatment, and follow-up care.

Common conditions treated by blood management nurses

A blood management nurse will work with patients who are at risk for blood loss or who have experienced blood loss due to injury or disease. This field originally developed in surgical settings, but it has since expanded to other medical settings as well.

Some conditions that may require the support of a blood management nurse include:

• Trauma
• Sepsis
• Anemia
• Surgery
• Blood loss related to childbirth
• Nutritional deficiencies
• Liver disorders
• Heart failure

Where do blood management nurses work?

Blood management nurses work wherever patients might need blood transfusions. This may include:

• Hospitals
• Clinics
• Outpatient centers

Closely related fields 

Fields closely related to blood management nursing include:

• Infusion nursing
• Surgical and post-operative nursing
• Oncology nursing
• Dialysis nursing
• Critical care nursing, like emergency and intensive care

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How do you become a blood management nurse in 3 steps?

To become a blood management nurse, you have to follow three steps. First, you must obtain a nursing degree and become a registered nurse (RN). Next, you need to gain experience as a nurse. Finally, you must complete relevant certifications to demonstrate advanced knowledge and skill in blood management.

Step 1 – Become a registered nurse

The first step on the path to becoming a blood management nurse is becoming a registered nurse. This requires getting a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) and passing a national competency exam.

Earn a degree 

There are many different degree paths available to prospective nurses. However, most hiring managers prefer nurses with a bachelor’s degree or more. This opens the door to higher salaries and more responsibilities.

You can earn a BSN through traditional four-year college programs, accelerated second-degree BSN programs (ABSN), and RN-to-BSN bridge programs.

Pass the NCLEX exam

Once you have a degree in nursing, you are eligible to take the NCLEX-RN exam. You must pass this test to demonstrate that you have a minimum level of competence in nursing knowledge. After passing the NCLEX, you may apply for a nursing license in the state you wish to work.

Step 2 – Accumulate experience

Once you become a registered nurse, it’s important to gain experience in patient blood management. 

Helpful skills and experience

If your ultimate goal is to work in blood management, it’s helpful to target initial jobs that involve blood transfusions, like:

• Medical-surgical nursing
• Emergency nursing
• Intensive care nursing

Maternity and postpartum care nursing may also provide opportunities to work with patients who need blood transfusions. 

These specialties will include working with patients with various conditions that may involve blood loss or blood diseases. This will allow you to gain vital skills in patient blood management, like:

• Initiating intravenous lines and managing central line access
• Administering intravenous medications
• Implementing blood transfusions and evaluating outcomes of transfusions
• Educating patients about their blood transfusion needs

You can also demonstrate an interest in this career path by working with local blood banks or blood drives through organizations like The American Red Cross.

Changing specialty to blood management nursing

Nurses with experience in critical care, long-term care, or medical-surgical nursing are all good candidates for blood management nursing. Nurses who are interested in switching specialties should investigate opportunities to build experience in patient blood management within their current employment. 

Additionally, nurses can take Continuing Education Units (CEUs) in blood transfusions and blood management to help build their skillset. The Society for the Advancement of Blood Management (SABM) is another opportunity for networking, education, and training.

Step 3 – Obtain certifications

Certification and continuing education options for blood management nurses include:

• Patient Blood Management (PBM) Certificate Course: This is offered by the Society for the Advancement of Patient Blood Management (SABM). It includes 9 CEU hours and costs $350. This is only a certificate course, however, and does not allow for certification.

• Patient Blood Management Specialist (PBMS) Certification: This certification deals with blood management in the perioperative phase of patient care. The exam is open to anyone with an interest in patient blood management and who has recent experience in this area.

• Certified Registered Nurse Infusion (CRNI): To be eligible for this exam, you must have an active RN license and at least 1,600 hours of infusion-nursing experience in the last two years. The exam covers blood and blood products in addition to other infusion topics.

Nurses who are interested specifically in oncology or blood and bone transplants may also consider becoming a Blood & Marrow Transplant Certified Nurse (BMTCN). 

What are the salary and career outlooks for blood management nurses? 

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the job outlook for all nurses is strong, and jobs in this field are expected to grow by 6% between 2021 and 2031.

The BLS reports that the average nurse earns $82,750 per year.   

Ziprecruiter states that perioperative blood management technologists earn on average $74,367 per year. According to Salary.com, infusion nurses earn on average $86,870 per year. 

Nursing salaries vary based on education, experience, and location, such as state and city.  

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Job satisfaction

Successful patient blood management is related to lower healthcare costs, improved outcomes for patients, and fewer patient complications. Nurses who work in blood management are involved in a rapidly emerging field that directly improves patient outcomes for entire hospitals or outpatient centers. 

Additionally, this career path offers room for growth, from bedside blood transfusion practice up to research and administration of whole patient blood management programs.

Next steps 

The Joint Commission offers a Patient Blood Management Certification, which is a hospital- or organization-level certification. This initiative is an opportunity for nurses to become involved in leadership within the patient blood management field.

Nurses can also progress in this career field by pursuing Masters-level education, like a Masters of Science in Nursing (MSN). This can open up new opportunities and higher salaries.

If you’re interested in learning more about working as a blood management nurse, you can talk to other blood management nurses in the Incredible Health Q&A Forum. Use our career resources page for even more valuable information. 

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