Blood Compatibility
O-negative blood is often referred to as this because it can be given to patients of any blood type in emergencies.
What is a universal donor?
Before starting a blood transfusion, nurses must verify these two critical pieces of information.
What are the patient’s identity and blood type?
The first action a nurse should take when a transfusion reaction is suspected.
What is stop the transfusion?
Vital signs should be checked at these three times during a transfusion.
What are baseline, 15 minutes after starting, and at completion?
This critical check ensures that the correct blood product is being given to the correct patient.
What is verifying patient ID and blood type?
This blood type is the universal recipient.
What is AB positive?
This is the minimum number of licensed personnel required to verify a blood transfusion before administration.
What is two?
Symptoms like fever, chills, and low back pain could indicate this type of transfusion reaction.
What is a hemolytic reaction?
The maximum amount of time blood can hang before it must be discarded.
What is 4 hours?
This type of reaction can be prevented by ensuring the blood is properly matched to the patient’s ABO and Rh type.
What is a hemolytic reaction?
A patient with A positive blood can receive blood from these types.
What are A positive, A negative, O positive, and O negative?
Blood should always be administered using this piece of equipment to prevent clots from entering the patient’s bloodstream.
What is a blood filter?
A mild allergic reaction to a transfusion is typically treated with this medication.
What is an antihistamine (e.g., diphenhydramine)?
During the first 15 minutes of the transfusion, the infusion rate should be this speed to monitor for reactions.
What is slow (e.g., 2 mL/min)?
Blood transfusions were first performed successfully on this type of patient in the 17th century.
What are animals?
Rh compatibility matters because the presence or absence of this protein can cause reactions.
What is the Rh factor?
Blood products must be transfused within this timeframe after leaving the blood bank.
What is 4 hours?
This potentially fatal reaction occurs when the body’s immune system attacks the transfused white blood cells.
What is transfusion-related acute lung injury (TRALI)?
If a reaction occurs, the nurse must send this to the blood bank for analysis.
What is the blood bag and tubing?
Blood should be warmed to this condition to prevent hypothermia during massive transfusions.
What is body temperature (or warmed to approximately 37°C)?
A patient with B negative blood cannot receive blood from these types.
What are B-positive and AB-positive?
After completing the transfusion, this must be documented in the patient’s eMAR.
What are the date, time, type of blood product, volume infused, and patient response?
This type of reaction occurs when transfused blood overwhelms the cardiovascular system, leading to fluid overload.
What is transfusion-associated circulatory overload (TACO).
After starting a transfusion, nurses should remain with the patient for this period of time.
What is the first 15 minutes?
This is the most common cause of fatal transfusion errors.
What is human error (e.g., patient misidentification or incorrect labeling)?