How Do You Care For A Patient With Acute Reaction To Blood Transfusion?
Blood transfusions involves infusing or transferring blood or compenents of blood from an outside source into another person. The outside source may be from donations by strangers to the recipient or his family and friends. Disease conditions like anemia, sickle cell crisis or conditions like traumatic accidents or surgery may warrant blood transfusions. The nurse has to observe the patient receiving a blood transfusion and act quickly in the event that the patient experiences an acute or allergic reaction to the blood. Observe your patient for signs of any reaction to the blood or blood products. Symptoms to watch out for are flushing, itching, rash, hives, wheezing, sudden chills, difficulty breathing, fever, headache or low back pain.Initiate nursing interventions if you suspect any reactions. Stop the blood transfusion immediately. Start infusing normal saline through a separate intravenous line. Do not infuse normal saline through the line used to infuse the blood or blood product
