What's your hospital policy on blood transfusions?

Published

Just wondering what you hospital's policy is on blood transfusion, giving it via gravity or via pump? I know of several hospitals that administer PRBC's via pump, but my current hospital only infuses via gravity. When hanging it via pump, we would leave off the clave connector from the plumb set and use the blood tubing as the secondary set to prevent the cells from lysing. Any thoughts?

Pump on the floor. Pump or pressure bag in the ICU. Special blood tubing either way.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in PeriOp, ICU, PICU, NICU.

PRBC's via Alaris pump with special blood tubing for it. FFP we just hang over gravity. (Adults and Peds).

In the NICU, we infuse all blood products via syringe pump.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in SRNA.
I much prefer using a pump, particularly for pts who have a mediport or a PICC since gravity just doesn't seem to flow well through those devices.

I totally agree there! I'll use the pump if we're concerned about fluid overload also. Otherwise, I prefer gravity.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Acute Care Cardiac, Education, Prof Practice.

Pump, Q30 min vitals, blood tubing.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Emergency.

Plum pumps with blood tubing on the floors, pressure bags with blood tubing in the ICUs

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Oncology; medical specialty website.

I can't remember when I infused anything via gravity. Maybe in nursing school 25 years ago. I've just always worked in units where we used pumps.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Community, OB, Nursery.

Plum pump, and anything going into a vein is on a pump at my place.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion