Blood Transfusions

Question 1

Indications for blood products

Answer 1

• anemia- blood loss / haemorrhage- cardiac dysfunction- anemia due to renal failure / cancer- bone marrow suppression- haemoglobinopathies - sickle cell / thalassaemia

Question 2

Types of blood products

Answer 2

• Red Blood Cells - carry oxygen & remove carbon dioxide - indicated in anemia, conditions where RBCs don’t function as they should & people with severe bleeding / haemorrhage- Platelets - components of blood that assist with clotting - indicated in cancer patients, with bone marrow suppression, people receiving chemotherapy, severe blood loss- Plasma - fluid in which RBCs, WBCs & platelets are suspended, contains all coagulation factors - indicated in replacement of clotting factors - surgery, trauma, diseases which impair clotting - ie - liver disease

Question 3

Procedure for checking of blood products

Answer 3

• ensure patient & pack labels match, everything is doubled checked- gain consent, inform patient of possible risks- right patient, right product, right pack- bag is intact, no clots, unusual colouring, turbidity

Question 4

Administering blood products

Answer 4

• ensure consent has been gained- double check product at bedside, 2 nurse checks- baseline obs, TPRBP- resuscitation equipment is available and working- check obs again after 15 minutes have passed- checks obs during delivery of pack as per protocol- check obs when the pack finishes transfusing- clinical features of reaction - fever, chills, uricaria, tachycardia, hypotension, dynpnoea, rigors, nausea, vomiting, pain in IV site, anxiety

Question 5

Documentation for bloods

Answer 5

• need crossmatched sample prior to administration- document blood pack donation number- observations during transfusion- volume of blood transfused, start & finish times- if the blood administration had the desired effect