Single person check in blood transfusion

[uniquenurse]

In single person check during blood transfusion, the transfusing nurse is solely responsible should he/she commit errors. Therefore he/she must be extra careful in checking the blood products, checking patients, vital signs monitoring and all other aspects of transfusion. This would certainly minimise errors and near-misses. Any views on this? Thanks in advance.

[Been there,done that, ASN, RN]

I have worked in multiple facilities.. always required 2 nurses.

However.. If I pick up the blood from the blood bank.. which does a zillion checks... carry it to the bedside and spike it.. why would I need another nurse to verify any information?

Did I somehow forget which patient needed the transfusion?

[Patti_RN]

Strange things have happened with transfusions--nurses have been known to take the right blood to the wrong patient. You know it's for Smith in 112, but something distracts you and you take it to Smith in 118. I know it's unlikely, but it's happened and that's why the checks are in place.