Blood Transfusion:- It is a simple process in which blood is given to a patient through an IV line. The blood bag which is donated by a person ( donor) to a blood bank is used. firstly we store blood in the blood bank for crossmatching and run some tests for tracking the status that the donor does not have some kind of disease that can be transmitted by blood.
Why does a person need a blood transfusion:-
- It might save someone's life who is battling some serious disease i.e.- anemia, hemophilia, cancer, or hypovolemia.
- To replace the blood that lost in any major surgery
- To maintain clotting factors.
- It also used to treat sepsis
# Types of blood components:-
- PRBCs ( packed blood cells)
- PLATELETS
- FFP ( fresh frozen plasma)
- Cryoprecipitate
- PRBCs:- PRBCs is component of blood. Patients need it when they lost a large amount of blood due to any reasons ( trauma, hemorrhage, Rbc destructive disease, etc. It replaces erythrocytes in the body and also increases the level of Hb and as well as hematocrit.
1 unit:- approximately 350ml
Storage in 1-6 degrees centigrade at blood bank refrigerator
Shelf life:- 42 days
After 42 days PRBCs are expired or else we can say that the RBC that is present in that bag is dead.
Time duration of PRBCs transfusion:- usually 1 unit should be administered between 2 to 4 hour
2. PLATELETS- platelets are also a component of blood also known as thrombocytes. It helps to stop bleeding caused by any incident in the body. A person needs platelet transfusion when they have lymphoma, system cell transplant, low clotting factors, etc.
1 unit of platelets - approximately 300ml
storage temperature- 20 -24 degrees Celsius
shelf life- 5 days
time duration- usually transfused over 30 -60min
it doesn't need to crossmatch
3. FFP( fresh frozen plasma)- It is made from the liquid part of blood. As the name suggests it's plasma. basically, plasma is a water-like solution that contains plasma proteins, minerals, clotting factors, etc. Plasma makes up to 55% part of the whole blood.
Use of FFP-
- To replace body fluid
- a patient who has liver disease
- In case of severe burns
- To treat severe infection
- Patients with low plasma protein
4. CRYOPRECIPITATES:- It is also a plasma product of blood. It was prepared from fresh frozen plasma. cryoprecipitates are used to replace clotting factors.
- duration of transfusion and shelf life and storage temperature is the same as FFP.
# Equipment needed in transfusion:-
- PPE Gears
- Blood warmer
- All checklist
- Blood transfusion set
- Cardiac monitor
# Complications in transfusion:- Complication that occurs in blood transfusion are divided into two parts early and late complications. It includes
- Early complications:-
- Hemolytic reaction
- Circulatory overload
- Bacterial infection
- Late complication:- The chances of occurring late complications are low. but in some cases, it happens which are following
- Incompatibility
- Blood clots
- Air thrombus
- Decline of Hb concenntration
Nursing responsibility in transfusion:-
Nursing responsibility starts after the HCP( health care provider) orders in writing about transfusion and the HCP specifically mentions what blood product should be transferred.
- Conform HCP written order
- Obtain written consent from the patient about the transfusion.
- Take vital signs before starting the procedure.
- Always check the equipment's working condition.
- Closely monitor vital signs, especially starting 15 min because maximum blood reaction occurs in starting 15 min.
What to do after a blood reaction occurs.
- If the blood reaction occurs then the first priority is to stop the transfusion immediately.
- maintain IV line with normal saline
- Inform health care provider
- Inform blood bank about it.
- Write the incidence with blood bag batch no.
NOTE:- To avoid septicemia transfusion should be done between 2-4 hours.
- If transfusion did before 2 hours then circulatory overload occurs.
- Or if transfusion takes more than 4 hours then blood can be from the thrombus and there is a risk of air embolism.
