Final answer:
The nurse should inform the patient to schedule autologous blood donation approximately 4 to 6 weeks before the surgery, clarify that blood from relatives cannot be used for this purpose, discuss the frequency of donation based on Hgb levels, and that any unused autologous blood cannot be used for other patients.
Step-by-step explanation:
When discussing autologous blood donation with a patient in preparation for an orthopedic surgical procedure, it is important to provide accurate and clear information. One key aspect to highlight is the appropriate timing for donation. The nurse should include in the teaching that the patient should make an appointment to donate blood approximately 4 to 6 weeks prior to the surgery. This timeframe allows the body to replenish the blood cells lost during donation before the surgical procedure. It is also important to convey that blood donated by a relative (e.g., a brother) cannot be used in an autologous transfusion since that would be considered an allogeneic donation.
Furthermore, patients with stable hemoglobin (Hgb) levels can donate blood more than once leading up to the surgery, but not as frequently as every week due to the body's need for time to recover. Lastly, unused autologous blood cannot be used for other clients due to safety regulations and because it is specifically collected for the patient's own use.