Two units of PRBCs have been ordered for a patient who has experienced a GI bleed. The patient is highly reluctant to receive a transfusion, stating, "I'm terrified of getting AIDS from a blood transfusion."
How can the nurse best address the patient's concerns?
A) "All the donated blood in the United States is treated with antiretroviral medications before it is used."
B) "That did happen in some high-profile cases in the twentieth century, but it is no longer a possibility."
C) "HIV was eradicated from the US blood supply in the early 2000s."
D) "The chances of contracting AIDS from a blood transfusion in the United States are exceedingly low."
Ans: D
Feedback:
The patient can be reassured about the very low possibility of contracting HIV from the transfusion. However, it is not an absolute impossibility. Antiretroviral medications are not introduced into donated blood. The blood supply is constantly dynamic, due to the brief life of donated blood.
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