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As a medical assistant is collecting a blood sample, the patient begins to faint. Which of the following actions should the medical assistant take to help ensure the patient's safety?

A) Continue drawing blood quickly
B) Have the patient lie down with legs elevated
C) Apply pressure to the bleeding site
D) Offer the patient a sugary snack

1 Answer

3 votes

Final answer:

To ensure a patient's safety during a fainting episode while drawing blood, the medical assistant should have the patient lie down with legs elevated. Type O negative blood is transfused in emergencies without blood typing due to its universal donor status. Agglutination with both anti-A and anti-B antibodies indicates a normal Type AB blood type.

Step-by-step explanation:

When a medical assistant notices a patient beginning to faint during a blood draw, the correct action is to have the patient lie down with legs elevated. This position helps to increase blood flow to the brain, reducing the likelihood of the patient losing consciousness. Continuing to draw blood quickly or offering a sugary snack would not be appropriate immediate responses to a patient showing signs of fainting. Applying pressure to the bleeding site is important after the blood draw is complete or if the procedure is terminated due to the patient's condition, but it is secondary to ensuring the patient's safety from falling or experiencing a prolonged loss of consciousness.

Regarding the question about emergency blood transfusions, in a critical situation where there is no time for blood typing, Type O negative blood is typically transfused because it is considered the universal donor and is least likely to cause an adverse reaction in most patients.

When both anti-A and anti-B antibodies cause agglutination in a blood sample, this indicates that the patient has Type AB blood, which means they have both A and B antigens on the surface of their red blood cells. This is a normal response and does not suggest an error on the technician's part.

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