Question

Before beginning a transfusion of packed red blood cells (PRBCs), which action by the nurse would be of highest priority to avoid an error during this procedure?

A. Check the identifying information on the unit of blood against the patient's ID bracelet.
B. Select new primary IV tubing primed with lactated Ringer's solution to use for the transfusion.
C. Remain with the patient for 60 minutes after beginning the transfusion to watch for signs of a transfusion reaction.
D. Add the blood transfusion as a secondary line to the existing IV and use the IV controller to maintain correct flow.

Answer 1

The highest priority action before beginning a transfusion of PRBCs is to check the identifying information on the unit of blood against the patient's ID bracelet to prevent transfusion reactions.

Step-by-step explanation:

Before beginning a transfusion of packed red blood cells (PRBCs), the action of highest priority to avoid an error during this procedure is A. Check the identifying information on the unit of blood against the patient's ID bracelet. This crucial step ensures patient safety by verifying that the blood type and Rh factor of the donor unit matches the patient's, preventing potentially fatal transfusion reactions.

It is essential to perform pretransfusion blood testing to match the donor's and recipient's ABO and Rh antigens correctly. Neglecting to verify the match before transfusion could lead to a hemolytic transfusion reaction (HTR), which can cause serious harm or even death to the patient.