Question

What are some of the risks involved when giving the patient a transfusion of whole blood? What should the surgical technologist consider and be pre- pared for when the surgical patient is given large amounts of donor blood?

Answer 1

1.Some of the risks involved are

• Transfusion reaction
• Circulatory overload
• Septicaemia
• Iron overload
• Disease transmission
• Hypocalcaemia
• Hyperkalaemia.

2 Surgical technologist need to have an understanding of medications,eventhough he or she does not directly administer them to the patient.Surgical technologist need to know handling and administration and limits.

• A large volume of refrigerated blood infused rapidly through a central venous catheter into the ventricle of the heart can cause cardiac dysrhythmias.
• No solution other than normal saline should be added to blood components.
• Medications are neveradded to blood components or piggypacked into a blood transfusion.
• To avoid the risk of septicaemia, infusion should not exceed prescribed time for administration.
• The blood administration set should be changed with each unit of blood, or according to agency policy to reduce the risk of septicaemia.
• Check the blood bag for the date of expiration.
• Inspect the blood bag for leaks, abnormal colour, clots and bubbles.
• Never refrigerate blood in refrigerators.
• The recommended rate if infusion varieswith the blood component being transfused and depends on the clients condition;generally blood is infused as quickly as the clients condition allows.