Blood Transfusion

Basic Blood Transfusion Procedure

Before a transfusion, the nurse will compare the patient's armband with the label on the unit of blood to make certain he or she receives the correct blood product. If the patient does not already have an intravenous (IV) line in his or her arm, the nurse will start one. A nurse will check the patient's temperature, blood pressure, and pulse before and several times during the transfusion.

Patients are not necessarily confined to a bed or chair during a transfusion. They may resume their previous level of activity after the transfusion. Normally, a person receiving a transfusion will be asked to stay in a bed or chair during the transfusion to monitor for possible reactions.

Every donor is screened before donating blood, and an exhaustive series of tests is conducted to determine blood purity. The chance of illness being passed through a blood transfusion is extremely small.