Military pharmacists blood training course

Authors: Ahmad Alramahi, RPh; Nisha Varughese, PharmD, BCPPS, MHA; Aditi Khandelwal, MDCM, MSc, FRCPC, DRCPSC  

Scientific Advisors and Contributors:  Kathryn Webert, MD, MSc, FRCPC; Maj Damien Miller, CD, RN; Maj Michael Gauthier, CD, BSP, MA; LCdr Sebastian Vuong CD MD FRCPC DRCPSC 

Primary target audiences: For military pharmacists, emergency response pharmacists, and those working in austere or remote health-care settings. 

Online course

This course was compiled and developed by Canadian Blood Services. To inform its development, a targeted survey was created and distributed to identify knowledge gaps among pharmacists involved in military and emergency missions. The survey was completed by 52 participants from 11 different countries.  

Successful completion of the course will require completing individual modules as well as select external modules. The course is delivered online in a self-paced format. 
 
The goal of this course is to provide pharmacists with foundational knowledge about blood and blood products, with a focus on their use in military, emergency, and remote health-care settings. It is intended to build awareness and understanding of transfusion-related topics relevant to these environments. 
 
The final course will include four domains:  
Domain 1: Blood and blood components overview  
Domain 2: Blood program structure   
Domain 3: Logistics and cold chain  
Domain 4: Clinical transfusion and select topics  
 
At present, only Domain 1 is available. The remaining domains will be added to this page as they become available. 
 
The course is available on mobile or desktop; no login or special software is required. It is self-paced and may be completed over multiple sessions.  
  
 
Click on the red box below to access Domain 1 of the course:  

Domain 1

 

Disclaimer: The information presented in this training program is intended for educational purposes only. It does not constitute clinical guidance or legal advice, nor does it represent official policies, procedures, or product specifications of Canadian Blood Services or any other organization. The material should not be used as a substitute for professional judgment, institutional protocols, or manufacturer documentation. 

Additional resources

Suggested citation

Alramahi A, Varughese N, & Khandelwal A. Military pharmacists blood training course [Internet]. Ottawa: Canadian Blood Services; 2025 [cited YYYY MM DD]. Available from: https://profedu.blood.ca/en/military-pharmacists-blood-training-course  

References

Domain 1

  1. Rotin L, Mack J. Blood components. In: Khandelwal, A, Abe T, editors. Clinical Guide to Transfusion [Internet]. Ottawa: Canadian Blood Services, 2025. Chapter 2.  Available from: https://professionaleducation.blood.ca 
  2. Callum, J. L. et al. Bloody easy 5.1: Blood transfusions, blood alternatives and transfusion reactions. A Guide to Transfusion Medicine, fifth edition handbook. Ontario Regional Blood Coordinating Network (ORBCoN), 2023). Available at: https://transfusionontario.org/category/bloody-easy-e-tools-publications/bloody-easy-for-healthcare-professionals
  3. Canadian Blood Services. Visual Inspection Tool [Internet]. Ottawa: Canadian Blood Services; 2023 [cited 2024 May 20]. Available from: https://profedu.blood.ca/en/visual-inspection-tool 
  4. Australian Red Cross Lifeblood. Blood Component Information: An Extension of Blood Component Labels and Blood Book: Australian Blood Administration Handbook [Internet]. Australian Red Cross Lifeblood; [cited 2024 May 20]. Available from: https://www.lifeblood.com.au/health-professionals/learn/resource-library/featured-resources 
  5. Basu D, Kulkarni R. Overview of blood components and their preparation. Indian J Anaesth 2014;58(5):529–537. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4260297/