Can you give preblood transfusion IV meds less than 30 mins before the transfusion?

[Luichiede]

Or immediately before starting the blood transfusion or should you give it 30 mins before?

[Sour Lemon]

Some of these responses make me roll my eyes. Of course following the policy or orders is the right answer, but it doesn't help the nurse understand WHY this is important. Taking the time to explain the rationale will help the OP much more than taking the easy way out and telling him/her to be a good boy/girl and follow the orders.

For the love of God don't "just do what the policy says" or " just follow your orders" you're a nurse not a monkey. Orders and policies do not replace critical thinking. Each patient is different.

The OP didn't ask "why", they asked "when".

Following appropriate MD orders and facility policies doesn't make anyone a "monkey" incapable of critical thinking.

[Double-Helix, BSN, RN]

The OP didn't ask "why", they asked "when".

Following appropriate MD orders and facility policies doesn't make anyone a "monkey" incapable of critical thinking.

How does one know if orders are appropriate without understanding the rationale behind them?

[Sour Lemon]

How does one know if orders are appropriate without understanding the rationale behind them?

We don't know that the OP has no understanding of the rationale. Maybe one coworker told him he should give the medication thirty minutes before any transfusion and another told him it should be an hour before. Maybe he understands that either time would work and is simply after a "standard".

We could also assume that he has no idea "how" to administer the medication, but no one rolled their eyes at you for not explaining that along with the why and the when.

[PeakRN]

How emergent do you need the blood in? If the patient is stable and you have plenty of time then yes you should be waiting 30 minutes for the benadryl/pepcid/steroid/tylenol. In patients who need the blood immediately (as in seconds) I have given the blood first and the premedications once we have a second line (which is within a few minutes anyway).

[Ddestiny, BSN, RN]

I've never once been told to hold meds prior to transfusing. I'm kind of grasping the concept of why somebody might think to, but when I thoroughly think it through, it doesn't make sense.

It sounds like you're referring to meds that were already scheduled prior to the the order for the transfusion (i.e. the pt's daily Lisinopril) but I think this is in reference to meds ordered specially to be given prior to the transfusion to mitigate inflammatory response (i.e. APAP, Benadryl). If I'm misunderstanding your comment then the only other thing I can add is, no, I've never been told to hold any meds prior to a transfusion either.