New Jersey paramedics can now give blood transfusions in the field

🚑 NJ paramedics have been given an opportunity to save more lives in the field

🚑 They are allowed to perform blood transfusions

🚑 This is critical in keeping someone alive on their way to a hospital

Paramedics in New Jersey can now administer blood transfusions at the scene of emergencies and while transporting patients to hospitals, the New Jersey Department of Health announced.

This follows the Department of Health’s issuance of two waivers in late 2024 authorizing hospital systems to partner with blood banks and implement a pre-hospital whole blood and blood component administration program.

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The Waivers

The first waiver allows a team of two New Jersey licensed paramedics to perform blood transfusions in out-of-hospital emergency situations when a physician or registered nurse is unavailable.

The second waiver grants New Jersey-licensed air medical services and mobile intensive care programs the authority to implement pre-hospital whole blood and blood component administration programs.

“These waivers represent a significant advancement in emergency care for New Jersey residents. By bringing life-saving blood transfusions directly to trauma patients in the field, we’re implementing a practice that has been proven to save lives during the critical first minutes after sustaining injuries,” Acting Health Commissioner Jeffrey Brown said.

Last year, New Jersey’s mobile intensive care paramedic programs responded to more than 15,000 calls involving serious traumatic injuries and accidents across all 21 counties, the State Department of Health said.

The paramedics were able to deliver critical, life-saving interventions during the most critical moments, including the administration of blood in a pre-hospital setting, improving outcomes for severely injured patients, the statement read.

Who can administer pre-hospital blood transfusions?

In April, Hackensack University Medical Center became the first advanced life support provider in New Jersey authorized to administer whole blood transfusions in the field.

Their paramedics have been able to administer blood directly at the scene of an emergency and during hospital transport.

“After working with the Department of Health to expand pre-hospital blood administration from our very successful air medical program to our ground advanced life support units, it was very rewarding for our paramedics to transfuse that first unit of blood,” said Michelle Kobayashi, director of Hackensack Meridian Health’s Transfer Center.

Thanks to that first blood transfusion at the scene, the patient’s condition improved, which, otherwise would have most likely deteriorated during the drive to the trauma center without the transfusion, she said.

In addition to Hackensack University Medical Center, two other health systems, Virtua Health and University Hospital, have also obtained authorization for pre-hospital blood transfusions, the State Department of Health said.

HUMC, Atlantic Health, and University Hospital have also been approved to transfuse blood during air medical flights.

“Pre-hospital blood transfusions are shown to help restore blood volume, improve oxygen delivery, support clotting, and stabilize trauma patients enroute to emergency departments,” the State Department of Health said in a written statement.

The Alarming Statistics

Motor vehicle crashes remain the leading cause of death in New Jersey and across the nation, according to statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. In 2024, nearly 700 people died in car crashes in the Garden State. Nationally, more than 40 percent of crash victims were alive when first responders reached the scene but later died.

Paramedics who are allowed to administer emergency blood transfusions at the scene of crash could be the difference between life and death of a victim as they are transported to a hospital.

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