San Francisco State University Daly, California, United States
Background/Case Studies: A persistent challenge in Immunohematology education is translating theoretical knowledge into confident clinical decision-making. Clinical Laboratory Science (CLS) programs, particularly those with limited enrollment approved by the California Department of Public Health, require instructional strategies that support analytical reasoning in transfusion practice. Academic microlearning (short, focused, concept-specific instruction) has gained recognition for enhancing decision-making in laboratory education. This study explored how CLS students applied microlearning strategies introduced during Immunohematology lectures and lab sessions to resolve serologic problems during clinical blood bank rotations. While microlearning was not explicitly labeled during instruction, its application emerged via retrospective analysis of student reflections from the Canvas discussion forum.
Study
Design/Methods: This retrospective review analyzed 36 student submissions (Canvas forum, Jan 2024-Apr 2025) describing challenging crossmatch/antibody ID cases they observed during the internship. Reflections were reviewed for interpretive reasoning aligned with Immunohematology didactic microlearning tools: antibody rule-out guides, DAT/elution frameworks, reagent/enhancement selection, and visual decision trees. Submissions describing only routine workflows or lacking analytical application were excluded. De-identified responses captured how students applied microlearning to complement facility SOPs for complex serologic problem resolution. This review was limited to one Immunohematology course within the CLS curriculum. All responses were self-reported and not validated against clinical outcomes or across all rotation sites/CLS program experiences.
Results/Findings: All 36 student responses from January 2024 to April 2025 met the inclusion criteria. Many reflections described multiple challenges, with some counted in multiple categories: 13 students (36%) resolved warm/cold autoantibodies using DAT, elution, RESt adsorption, and prewarming; 26 (72%) cited the use of antibody rule-outs, reagent selection, phenotype matching; 4 (11%) identified antibodies to low/high-frequency antigens through extended panels/send-outs. Students often noted that campus tools aided their understanding and interpretation of facility SOPs, improving their confidence and efficiency in resolving serologic cases. (See Appendix A.)
Conclusions: This retrospective review demonstrates that academic microlearning can serve as a durable bridge between classroom preparation and clinical blood bank performance. Implementation of targeted, visual, and decision-based microlearning strategies within Immunohematology curricula may strengthen how students transition from theoretical knowledge to applied clinical reasoning. The findings suggest students perceived improved confidence, interpretive accuracy, and transfusion safety during internship experiences.
