NCPPS Holds Certification Course on Nursing Processes in Transfusiology and Hematopoietic Stem Cell Collection

From March 3–7, 2025, a certification professional development course titled "The Nursing Process in Transfusiology, with Selected Topics on HSC Collection and Therapeutic Hemocorrection" was held at the National Scientific Center of Pediatrics and Pediatric Surgery, jointly with the National Production Center for Transfusiology, with technical support from Terumo®.

The main topics covered in this training included:

• Regulatory and legal aspects of hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) collection and storage in Kazakhstan;
• Regulatory framework governing transfusiology care in the Republic of Kazakhstan;
• Fundamentals of transfusion therapy;
• The role of nurses in transfusion therapy procedures and in the processing, collection, and storage of hematopoietic stem cells;
• Technical and functional aspects of operating the "Spectra Optia" device, among other topics.

It should be noted that in 2024, thanks to sponsorship support, the Center installed new equipment in the Clinical Transfusiology Department, along with an apheresis laboratory and hematopoietic stem cell monitoring capabilities. The "Spectra Optia" system enables effective collection of peripheral blood stem cells and processing of bone marrow, and also supports leukapheresis and plateletpheresis procedures, therapeutic plasma exchange/plasmapheresis, and the isolation of granulocytes and mononuclear cells. Thus, the expanded applications of the "Spectra Optia" system will allow for an increase in the volume of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) and the use of this method for other rare, autoimmune diseases, septic conditions, and many other pediatric conditions.

Given the complexity and multi-step nature of hematopoietic stem cell collection procedures, and in order to improve transfusiology care and establish a systematic approach to training newly arrived specialists, the department regularly conducts on-the-job training sessions. During this training, special attention was given to the functional responsibilities of nursing staff in transfusion therapy processes — from maintaining medical documentation and managing inventory, to rules for the storage, transportation, and dispensing of blood components and products, as well as procedures for staff to follow in the event of complications. The lecture material was presented by M.Ye. Ospanova, Head of the Cell Technologies Department at the National Production Center for Transfusiology (Astana).

An important stage of the training was hands-on practice with the "Spectra Optia" device on newly implemented technologies, such as mononuclear cell collection, plasmapheresis, and leukodepletion (removal of white blood cells in cases of hyperleukocytosis), with support from Terumo® specialist Ye.V. Tsirulev (Russia), a specialist in therapeutic systems support. Based on the results of the training, Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) are planned to be developed, providing a detailed description of all stages of the procedure, from patient preparation to the completion of the session and subsequent monitoring. Upon completion of the training, a final assessment was conducted covering the topics studied during the course.

Training on the above-mentioned transfusiology topics will help fulfill continuing medical education requirements, improve the competencies of our specialists, and introduce them to new technologies in medical practice.