[elizabells]

Originally Posted by cardiacRN2006

When we are giving it as a gtt and not a bolus, we can still use the tubing on a pump. We just hang it as a PB with a NS driver.

I should have mentioned that since I'm in a NICU, we never use the entire bottle, and draw it up in a syringe and give it over time on a pump, even if it is a bolus. Can't go too fast through a 1Fr PICC! The fastest I've managed to do it is 20min.

[mnurse3139]

Well I have worked for two hospitals in south Texas within the same system, one required it one did not. Once we were giving albumin to a jehovah witness and I was wondering if they knew where it came from.

[Grumpy's Girl]

Yep, blood product and we have to get consent. And "they" want it on the IV pump with the preprogramed albumin mode, which doesn't really work well. Good grief. We just hang it as usual - free flow.

[NRSKarenRN]

No consent for Albumin administration since came from pharmacy hospital A.
Yes for consent in hospital B since came from blood bank.

Check your facility P+P manual.

IV albumin - allnurses.com Nursing for

Nursesprocedure: Blood Factor and Component Replacements Administration of

Albumin (Human) 25%, USP

Albumin Therapy - Ask An Expert

[hmhheartmender]

This came up today again in our unit. Someone had mentioned it before and sure enough when we looked it up in our policy on transfusions it is listed there. I have never seen anyone obtain a consent for it as we traditionally treated it as a medication received from pharmacy. You can bet I will be more aware of it now. I recommend checking deep into several policies and seeing what they say. If it is not addressed perhaps it should be taken to your policy and procedure committee to see what they think. You may want to even run it by your risk management department. I am sure they will have a take on the nurses administering what technically is a blood product and not obtaining consent for it.

[graduate_2002]

I've never gotten consent before giving albumin.

[Rayrae]

We are required to get blood product consent for albumin. Of course, the one consent is good for the entire hospitalization if the patient needs multiple albumin infusions (which is most of the time), so maybe some of you are giving subsequent albumin infusions so a consent would not be needed for that particular infusion?

Also in some critical care areas, isn't a blood/blood product consent one of the forms the pt or family has to sign (or refuse to sign as the case may be) on the pt's admission to that unit? (I don't work ICU so I apologize for my ignorance. Also for intruding on many of your threads; they are just very interesting )

[cardiacRN2006]

Originally Posted by Rayrae

... so maybe some of you are giving subsequent albumin infusions so a consent would not be needed for that particular infusion?)

Whether they received prior transfusions or not, if consent is needed for a product, the RN MUST check for a consent prior to giving it. So at least a check on the consent in the chart would be required. You would need to lay actual eyes on the consent form if it was required to be obtained.

But, no. We don't require consent for albumin where I work.

Originally Posted by Rayrae

Also in some critical care areas, isn't a blood/blood product consent one of the forms the pt or family has to sign (or refuse to sign as the case may be) on the pt's admission to that unit? (I don't work ICU so I apologize for my ignorance. Also for intruding on many of your threads; they are just very interesting )

Nope, not for my hospital. We ask for blood consents when the situation arises if we can, or give it emergently if necessary.

[Rayrae]

that makes sense cardiacrn... I did figure people would make sure a consent was in place before giving anything that needed such, so... I guess that was a stupid question. thanks!!

[SICU Queen]

I've never had to get consent for albumin. It comes from our pharmacy, not the blood bank.

I guess the best reference would be your facility's P & P manual.