- All transfusions should be monitored in accordance with established guidelines and Waikato DHB blood policy.
- Baseline observations, taken within the 60 minutes before the start of the transfusion: check temperature, pulse, respiration rate and blood pressure.
- Remain in the room or in immediate proximity for the first 15 minutes of the commencement of each unit
- For each unit:At 15 minutes: record Pulse, temperature, blood pressure, respiration rate. Check on the patient at least every 30 minutes thereafter, prompting the patient for any signs or symptoms of a transfusion reaction. On completion of transfusion, record pulse, temperature, blood pressure, respiration rate. Repeat the above for subsequent units. For more details please refer to Lippincott.
- After each unit: record pulse, blood pressure, respiration rate and temperature and visual observation of the patient's appearance and condition.
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Rate of Infusion and Precautions
- All Blood components (except Platelets and Cryoprecipitate)
should be infused within four hours. If the transfusion of the
component cannot be started immediately, return it to the blood
bank for appropriate storage.
- In the routine setting (i.e. a stable patient), transfuse each unit slowly (up to 50mL/hour) for the first 15 minutes and observe the patient for any adverse reaction. Only increase the rate to the prescribed rate after 15 minutes.
- Never store blood components in the standard ward
refrigerator.
- Paediatric patients should always have doses prescribed in mL, not units. If the prescription is in units, check the volume required in mL, as units vary in volume and there are different types of units (neonatal and adult).
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