Question about managing a blood reinfusion system

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Specializes in ICU, Med/Surg, Tele.

I cannot seem to find the answer to this question in any of my nursing books..

How should a nurse manage a patient using a blood reinfusion system?

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Specializes in Critical Care, Cardiothoracics, VADs.

The possible clinical consequences of autologous transfusion are similar to those of regular transfusions. You would check the usual things you check for a patient receiving a transfusion:

- vital signs incl. temp and blood pressure

- bleeding

- Hb/Hct

- signs of hemolysis incl. hemoglobinuria

- rigors/chills/shivering

- signs of acute respiratory distress

- signs of fluid overload

If you observed any of these signs, you'd stop the transfusion and follow hospital policy (return to blood bank, incident report etc).

That's all I can think off the top of my head. Hope it helps. You may want to try the Infusion Nurses forum for more info.

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Specializes in ICU, Med/Surg, Tele.

Thank you SO much =)

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