Blood transfusions

[missykb1]

Do most hospitals have a policy on how many blood transfusions an RN can monitor at the same time? I cannot find any recommendations from nursing web sites.

Thanks!

[BittyBabyGrower, MSN, RN]

Probably not. How many did you have running?

[NotMyProblem MSN, ASN, BSN, MSN, LPN, RN]

You will find quite a few infusions running on an Oncology unit. You never know when your patients hgb/hct results will indicate the need for replenishment. The frustrating thing is when the infusions were ordered 12 hours prior and the first of two units was initiated 30 minutes prior to your stepping off the elevator, if at all...

This practice happened so regularly at one facility in which I was an agency nurse, that I finally asked the manager if it was their policy that dayshift not initiate blood infusions. What drove me to that point of asking was the fact that I pulled that labs from the PICC line around 4 a.m., called the results to the physician, hung the blood tubing in preparing for the infusions, and reported off to the day nurse. When I returned that night, the two units were still waiting in the blood bank and had been since 0740 that morning. Geez!!! Was the shift so bad that not even ONE of the two units could be initiated? Even with the consents, orders, and tubing all set and ready to go?!!? I mean, this particular patient still required care and treatment, too... treatment that was ordered before I left.