Blood Transfusion

AuntieRN · Nov 20, 2006

We stop the blood. Disconnect the whole thing from the pt. Hook up plain ole NS and run it. The whole blood apparatus tubing and all goes back to the blood bank. Oh yeah and we call the doctor for orders.

mariedoreen · Nov 20, 2006

What is the protocol in your institiution during blood transfusions?
IE: Stop if temperature changes 1 degree or patient complains of: chills, flank pain, etc.
What do you do then?
IE: Stop the infusion. Do you just disconnect the blood line completely or just clamp that while allow the piggybacked normal saline to run? Contact blood bank. Etc?

VS before starting infusion, run at reduced rate for 15 minutes, VS 15 minutes after infusion starts to assess for changes... if they're significant or if the patient develops sxs we disconnect the blood tubing from the patient immediately and hook up NS with new tubing.

Remember you've got Y tubing... if you simply clamped the blood line and ran the attached NS, the NS now dripping would push all the blood already in the tubing into that patient. You have to immediately disconnect the entire set up.

If VS changes are not significant but questionable at 15 minutes, then I talk with my charge and/or call the Dr to see how he wants to proceed.

If VS are fine at 15 minutes we increase the rate and take another set after administration.