Nursing Skills
Blood Transfusion Administration
The process of infusing blood products to restore blood volume or treat anemia and coagulation disorders.
Pre-transfusion
- Verify order and obtain informed consent.
- Verify blood type and donor number with two nurses at bedside.
- Use 18-20 gauge needle for infusion.
- Prime tubing with 0.9% Normal Saline ONLY.
During Infusion
- Start infusion slowly for the first 15 minutes.
- Monitor for transfusion reaction: fever, chills, hives, flank pain, or dyspnea.
- Take baseline vitals and repeat 15 minutes after start.
- Do not exceed 4 hours for a single unit of blood.
Reaction Protocol
- If reaction occurs: Stop infusion immediately.
- Disconnect blood tubing and start new Normal Saline with new tubing.
- Notify healthcare provider and blood bank.
- Keep blood bag and tubing for testing.
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