Newark
Beth Israel Medical Center’s Blood Management
Program provides the highest quality bloodless surgery to
all patients who wish to avoid the use of blood transfusions.
A team of physicians, nurses and other health professionals
provide care across the full spectrum of services, utilizing
the latest bloodless techniques for a wide range of procedures.
The team is committed to the concept of bloodless surgery
and will honor the wishes of patients requesting this type
of treatment.
Bloodless surgery is surgery performed without the use
of blood transfusions. It involves special pre-operative
and post-operative care as well as the use of special techniques
during surgery to minimize blood loss. The goal of the
team is to develop a plan of care that uses the latest
drugs, technology and techniques to decrease blood loss
and to enhance an individual’s own blood supply.
Cardiac and orthopedic surgeries are two types of surgery
that can involve considerable blood loss. Bloodless surgery
is preferred by some patients, either for religious reasons
or other personal concerns about transfused blood. A comprehensive
bloodless medicine and surgery program requires hospital-wide
involvement and support, including the administration, health
care providers and support staff, and medical and surgical
disciplines, for a multidisciplinary, patient-centered approach.
The Benefits of Bloodless Surgery
Research has shown that patient outcomes may be improved
through bloodless surgery.
Bloodless medicine appeals to many physicians and patients
because it carries low risk of post-operative infection when
compared with procedures requiring blood transfusion.
How It Works
Some of the strategies employed to work toward the goal
of transfusing less blood are:
- Reducing surgical blood loss. This is achieved by combining
meticulous surgical methods and medicines to control bleeding
and promote clotting and coagulation. The da Vinci Surgical
Robotic System is one of the key tools utilized. Robotic
surgery is more precise than standard methods and requires
minimal incisions, resulting in less blood loss, pain,
scarring and faster recoveries. This procedure can be used
in prostrate cancer, urology, oncology, gynecology and
adult cardiac surgery.
- Correcting preoperative anemia complications. The presence
of preoperative anemia, which can be present up to 50 percent
the surgical population, is treated by optimizing red blood
cells with various pharmaceutical agents and dietary/nutritional
supports.
The Patient Experience at NBIMC
- Multi-disciplinary team of physicians and staff available
24/7.
- Dedicated program phone line allows for one-stop shopping
for information, questions, referrals, scheduling, etc.
- Identification of bloodless surgery patients from all
access points of the medical center.
- Consultation to establish appropriate treatment plan
based on individual needs and preferences.
- Testing and evaluation followed by implementation of
blood management strategies.
- Precision in surgical techniques to limit blood loss.
- Proper discharge planning and patient education.
Leadership at NBIMC’s Blood Management Program
Sharon V. Sledge is the Director of the Blood Management
Program at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center and the Children's
Hospital of New Jersey. Prior to this position, she
held various positions in high-risk obstetrics, critical
care, home care and bloodless medicine.
 Ms. Sledge, a Registered Nurse, obtained her Bachelor of
Science in Nursing from Herbert H. Lehman College-City University
of New York in 1984 and her American Nurses Credentialing
Center certification in Perinatal Nursing in 1995. She
completed her graduate education at New York University receiving
a Master of Arts in Nursing Administration from the School
Of Education and a Master of Science in Health Services Management
in the Robert F. Wagner School of Public Service in 2003. She
received training at the Bloodless Medicine and Surgery Institute
at Fairview Hospital in Cleveland, Ohio in 2005.
Ms. Sledge is a member of Sigma Theta Tau, American Nurses
Association (ANA), Association of Women’s Health, Obstetric
and Neonatal Nurses (AWHONN) and serves on the Board of Directors
for the Refuah Health Center in Spring Valley, New York. She
is an active member of the Society for the Advancement of
Blood Management (SABM), serving on several committees and
has lectured and presented posters at diverse community and
national forums on issues related to anemia and blood management. Ms.
Sledge is a 2007 Fellow, 2008 and 2009 Mentor of the Leadership
Institute for Black Nurses at New York University College
of Nursing.
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