A physician orders 1 unit of packed red blood cells for a client diagnosed with anemia. A nurse correctly infuses the blood cells over a period of:

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

It is standard practice to infuse 1 unit of packed red blood cells over 2-4 hours. Infusing over 1 hour (A) could cause a too rapid increase in hemoglobin level, leading to adverse reactions such as fever, chills, and chest pain. Infusing over 6 hours (D) is too long and could increase the risk of bacterial contamination of the blood. Therefore, choice C (4 hours) is the best option.

A Physician Orders 1 Unit of Packed Red Blood Cells