Safe Blood Transfusion Practices among Nurses in a Major Referral Center in Ghana

Table 4

Pretransfusion initiation nursing activities.

Variable	Frequency	Percentage (%)
What is the most important nursing action that the nurse must do with regard to the patient after obtaining the blood pack but before starting the transfusion?
Check the doctors’ order with another nurse	16	5.88
Document baseline vital signs	79	29.04
Identify the right patient	169	62.13
Provide information to the patient (or family)	4	1.47
Report high temperature to the doctor	4	1.47
In the ward after obtaining a blood bag, how would you handle blood?
Wrap the unit with a blanket or bed sheet	24	8.86
Allow blood to wait in room temperature	149	54.98
Immerse the unit in hot water	1	0.37
Start the transfusion immediately	96	35.42
Warm in a microwave	1	0.37
When is blood warming prior to administration clinically indicated?
Each time a unit of blood is to be transfused
Yes	45	16.13
No	234	83.87
In exchange transfusion in infants
Yes	128	45.88
No	151	54.12
In rapid transfusion
Yes	90	32.26
No	189	67.74
In patients with cold agglutinins
Yes	110	35.84
No	169	64.16
In patients with hypothermia
Yes	186	66.67
No	93	26.33
What is the suitable filter size of the blood transfusion set?
90–120	74	41.34
130–160	63	35.20
170–200	34	18.99
210–250	8	4.47
What are the 3 most important steps that a nurse has to follow in order to properly identify the right patient prior to initiating the transfusion?
Ask the patient to state his/her name when possible
Yes	124	44.44
No	155	55.56
Call the patient name when possible
Yes	156	55.91
No	123	44.08
Check the room and bed number
Yes	39	13.98
No	240	86.02
Ensure that patient identification details match on the blood bag, ID band, and request form
Yes	252	90.33
No	27	9.68
Ask the patient to state his/her date of birth when possible
Yes	96	34.41
No	183	65.59
Compare the ID band with the blood bag
Yes	5	1.79
No	274	98.21