Question

If a patient is scheduled for a procedure requiring blood administration, how many type and screen samples should the circulator check for prior to the case

a) 1 valid sample
b) 2 valid sampled
c) no need to check, the samples can be drawn in the OR

Answer 1

For a scheduled procedure requiring blood administration, two valid type and screen samples should be checked. Blood samples agglutinating with both anti-A and anti-B antibodies indicate an AB blood type. During emergencies, type O blood is transfused, while in non-emergency situations, compatibility must be ensured through cross-matching.

Step-by-step explanation:

If a patient is scheduled for a procedure requiring blood administration, the circulator should verify that there are at least two valid type and screen samples before the case. This is critical to ensure patient safety by confirming the blood type and checking for any antibodies that might react with transfused blood.

The technician collects a sample of the patient's blood and adds anti-A and anti-B antibodies in separate wells to determine the blood type. If both samples visibly agglutinate, it indicates that the patient's blood contains both A and B antigens, which means that the patient has an AB blood type. This is a normal response and not a mistake by the technician.

In emergency situations where severe bleeding occurs and there is no time to determine the blood type, type O blood may be transfused since it is universally acceptable. However, during non-emergencies and scheduled procedures, a proper cross-match test ensures compatibility and prevents transfusion-related complications.