In 2007, new criteria covering the clinical aspects of blood transfusion were introduced into hospital accreditation schemes in Australia. One of the components of this was a requirement for appropriate staff to be ‘... trained and credentialed in (i) blood sample collection, (ii) blood component therapy prescription and administration, [and] (iii) the storage and transportation of blood components.’ In response to this, BloodSafe developed an online education (e‐learning) package (http://www.bloodsafelearning.org.au). Initial implementation occurred in South Australia, with demand from other states and territories resulting in a plan to implement in all areas of Australia. The programme has seen significant uptake and ready acceptance by users, with very strong positive feedback on the content, educational design and delivery. This e‐learning tool incorporates a range of media and activities designed to engage the learner emotionally, psychologically and physically. It has also been designed to cater for different learning styles and to further engage and support the learner through the use of video, audio, interactive animations and best practice examples in an authentic learning environment. The success of this project has been due to a number of factors including: (i) input from a wide range of transfusion experts across medical, nursing and laboratory disciplines, (ii) involvement of qualified and experienced educators with a clear understanding of e‐learning, and (iii) the use of professionals from other disciplines including graphic design, photography, video production, computer programming, acting and production. During the production of this tool, many lessons were learnt that can be applied to other e‐learning projects and resources. These include the time required to produce a quality product, budget and production time estimation, personnel resources required, the value of storyboarding and review of content and learning materials, governance structure and project management. e‐Learning is a cost‐effective delivery mechanism for provision of educational materials and resources. If well designed, it can be as effective as traditional forms of teaching and is readily accepted by users. It has the potential to standardize policies and procedures and improve clinical practice, resulting in improved patient outcomes and better use of a scarce resource. If made freely available, via the world‐wide web, it is also a way that the developed world can assist disadvantaged regions and countries at little or no additional cost.