Question

A nurse is completing her shift in 1 hour and needs to start a transfusion and give the same patient an intravenous medication before she leaves. To expedite the process, she opts to give both through the Y-set she has prepared for the blood administration. She is not sure whether this protocol is allowed. She calls the blood bank before obtaining the blood.

1. What should the blood bank personnel advise this nurse to do?

The nurse is in a hurry to start this transfusion and realizes that the intravenous solution she attached to the blood administration set is 2% dextrose instead of 0.9% saline.

2. Can the nurse proceed with this transfusion or should she wait for 0.9% saline? Why?

Answer 1

Answer: In the case where the nurse is not sure, the blood bank personnel advise should advice nurse to that not to mix the blood with the previous one. The nurse should given the iv on the another arm and new IV set. This will also reduce the risk of infection.

The nurse should wait for 0.9% saline because it is a kind of standard practice where the blood transfusion is followed by the normal saline. This mainly flushes the line as well as administer the any residual blood left.