Nursing staff satisfaction with the use of several transfusion safety systems at a university hospital.

Background and objectives: At the Hospital Universitari Arnau de Vilanova Lleida, Spain, nursing staff utilize different transfusion safety systems (TSSs) depending on their clinical unit. These range from a basic model involving wristband-based patient identification to a more advanced system incorporating a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA), location beacon, physical barriers, specific wristbands and personal identification. This study aimed to compare nursing staff satisfaction across the various TSSs used.

Materials and methods: In March 2025, nursing staff were invited to voluntarily and anonymously complete an online, self-designed questionnaire assessing their perceptions of the systems in use.

Results: A total of 120 nurses participated, representing 15.6% of the total population. While overall satisfaction did not differ significantly by system type, 40.6% of respondents reported a negative perception. Users of the basic system felt less safe (65.4%) and considered it less effective at preventing errors (64.1%) than those using the complex system (87.2% and 92.8%, respectively). However, the complex system was associated with more frequent technical or usability issues (66.7%) compared with the basic system (34.6%), which contributed notably to dissatisfaction.

Conclusion: Although specific factors influencing satisfaction were identified, no clear preference emerged regarding overall system satisfaction. The variability in responses may reflect the subjective nature of satisfaction. An optimal TSS would combine adaptability to staff needs, perceived safety, ease of use, intuitive visual cues, time efficiency and high reliability with minimal technical complications.