The patient is to receive 2 units of packed RBCs. The units are cold, and the nurse is concerned that this could lead to dysrhythmias and/or a reduction in core temperature. What action may the nurse take to prevent this?
a. Warm the blood in a microwave.
b. Warm the blood using hot water.
c. Warm the blood using a blood warmer.
d. Allow the blood to warm to room temperature before administering.
C
In emergency situations, rapid transfusion of cold blood may lead to dysrhythmias and a reduction in core temperature. Sometimes a blood warmer machine is used for large transfusions of greater than 50 mL/kg/hr or in patients with cold agglutinins. Heating blood products in a microwave or with hot water is dangerous and may destroy blood cells. Blood must be given within a prescribed time frame. Allowing the blood to come to room temperature before administration would decrease the time available for administration.
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