The transfusion may be cancelled or continued as appropriate. If for any reason there is a delay in starting the transfusion, the product must be returned to the blood bank to be stored properly. Blood units held at room temperature more than 30 minutes may not be given to any patient. Units will be discarded if the sterility of the container is compromised or if the temperature has reached l0 C or more. Blood may be warmed with a commercial blood warmer, according to manufacturer's instructions.
Normal saline is the product of choice used in the administration of blood.
Use a filtered administration set for all blood component transfusions. Hg may cause the blood bag to rupture. They will be used as a baseline in case of a transfusion reaction. The first 50 cc of blood infused are the most critical in regard to reactions. Stay with the patient for the first l5 minutes of the transfusion, check frequently thereafter, recording vital signs every 30 minutes.