transfusions and tubing

[Amy2005]

The blood administration set can be used for 2 units, as long as they are given in rapid succession and

the tubing is flushed with saline in between.

When using the blood admin set that is specifically the kind with the cassette for the infusion pump, how

is the upper line to the blood unit cleared of blood? The saline would run through its upper line, then through the filter and along the distal line. So that means that the portion of the line from the filter downwards would be cleared with saline. How is that upper section of line for the blood unit supposed to be cleared?

Inexperience and lack of equipment to practice with is part of the reason that I don't know how to do this.

I would therefore probably get a new admin set for the second unit.

Any suggestions?

My searching on google did not provide the answer (yet).

thanks

[Daytonite, BSN, RN]

Attach a bag of NS to the line where the bag of blood hangs (You may need to empty this bag of NS first before attempting this wash). Then clamp the IV below where these 2 lines connect. Lower the blood line and allow saline to backflow into the tubing that runs to the blood until the blood washes out and it runs clear. Detach and discard the bag of NS that caught this backflow but be careful because it will be kind of full. You will now have a cleared line.

[Amy2005]

okay - and this would mean using another bag of NS (emptied in order for it to receive the backflush from the NS that is already hanging).

It would probably be okay then to just use that new NS and hang it, to replace the blood unit empty bag, and let it flulsh the line, so there is no blood in the tubing? Simpler (same result, still uses a second bag fo NS).

[Daytonite, BSN, RN]

Yes, except that you don't want too much fluid running into some people or they will go into congestive failure, so be very careful how much of this saline you let run into the patient.