You are precepting a senior nursing student for the day. One of your clients needs a blood transfusion. What would you explain to the student about interventions a nurse should perform to minimize the risk for a septic reaction due to bacterial contamination of blood used for transfusion?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Infusing the blood in 4 hours or less after refrigerating it is the ideal choice because bacterial growth in blood occurs rapidly at room temperature. Warming the blood for 4 hours before infusion is not recommended as it increases the risk of bacterial growth in the blood. Infusing the blood 8 hours after refrigerating it is also not recommended as it increases the risk of bacterial growth. Testing the blood for contamination just before infusion is important, but it does not minimize the risk of septic reaction due to bacterial contamination during the storage and transportation of blood.

You Are Precepting a Senior Nursing Student for the Day