Question

A nurse is preparing to admin a blood transfusion to a client who has anemia. Which of the following actions should the nurse take first?

A. Verify the patient's identity and confirm the blood transfusion order.
B. Obtain the patient's vital signs and baseline assessment.
C. Warm the blood product to room temperature.
D. Prime the blood administration set with normal saline solution.

Answer 1

The nurse should verify the patient's identity and confirm the blood transfusion order first to ensure patient safety.

Step-by-step explanation:

The nurse should take action A. Verify the patient's identity and confirm the blood transfusion order first. It is crucial to ensure the patient's safety and prevent any potential errors before administering a blood transfusion. Verifying the patient's identity helps prevent accidental transfusion of blood to the wrong patient.

Obtaining vital signs and baseline assessment (option B) is important but can be done after verifying the patient's identity and confirming the blood transfusion order.