Summary Table 'Immediate Adverse Effects of Transfusion and Their Management'

Download as docx, pdf, or txt
Download as docx, pdf, or txt
You are on page 1of 7

Summary table 'Immediate adverse effects of transfusion and their

management'

Category 1: Mild Reactions

Signs Symptoms Possible Cause Immediate Management

Urticaria/rash Pruritis Allergic 1. Stop transfusion


(itching) 2. Assess patient
3. An antihistamine may be
required
4. Transfusion may be restarted
if no other signs/symptoms
are present
5. If signs/symptoms worsen
treat as Category 2.

Category 2: Moderately severe reactions

Signs Symptoms Possible cause Immediate Management

Flushing Anxiety Allergic (moderately- 1. Stop transfusion and


severe) maintain IV line with
Urticaria Pruritis NSaline
Febrile non- 2. Contact Medical Officer
Rigors Palpitations haemolytic 3. Patient may require
transfusion reaction:- antihistamine and/or
Fever Mild antibodies to white paracetamol
dyspnoea cells or platelets 4. Further investigation and
Restlessness management according to
Headache  antibodies to clinical features
Tachycardia proteins 5. If investigation required:
including IgA complete Transfusion
 possible Reaction Form and send
contamination blood pack, form and
with pyrogens samples to blood bank
and /or
bacteria

Category 3: Life threatening reactions

Signs Symptoms Possible cause Immediate Management

Rigors Anxiety Acute intravascular 1. Stop transfusion and


haemolysis (wrong maintain IV line with
blood) NSaline
Fever Chest pain 2. Contact Medical Officer
Bacterial (RCH MET call if
Restlessness Pain at contamination and appropriate)
infusion septic shock 3. Manage immediate needs:
Hypotension site 1. fluid for hypotension
Fluid overload 2. oxygen
Tachycardia Respiratory 3. adrenaline for
distress Anaphylaxis anaphylaxis
Dark Urine 4. diuretic for fluid
Loin/back Transfusion related overload
Unexplained pain acute lung injury 4. Complete Transfusion
bleeding (TRALI) Reaction Form and send
(DIC) Headache blood pack, form and
samples to blood bank
Dyspnoea 5. Further management
according to likely cause

What Is An Ultrasound?

Ultrasound is a procedure that uses high-frequency sound waves to view internal organs and
produce images of the human body. The human ear cannot hear the sound waves used in an
ultrasound. Ultrasound is:

 Noninvasive, which means it does not penetrate the skin or body openings, and
 Diagnostic, which means it is used to determine what disease or condition is present

The technical term for ultrasound imaging is sonography.

Ultrasound technology was originally developed as sonar to track submarines during World
War I. It was first used medically in the 1950s and is considered very safe.

The original ultrasound scanners produced still images, but modern scanners produce moving
pictures, which are easier to interpret.

How Does Ultrasound Work?


The Ultrasound Procedure

1. An ultrasound is a procedure used by doctors to see inside parts of a person's body. The
most commonly known use is on a woman during pregnancy. The doctor rubs a special gel
on the mother's stomach, and uses a transducer to conduct the ultrasound. He simply rubs
the device through the gel and around the stomach, which sends the results to a screen and
shows a picture. The baby can be seen using this method. It's a quick and painless way to
ensure the growing child is developing properly, and also to tell what the gender of the baby
is once it becomes more developed.

How Do You Prepare For An Ultrasound Scan?

No special preparation is required for a routine ultrasound. Wear loose comfortable clothing
to your ultrasound appointment.

For a liver or gallbladder scan, the patient is usually asked to fast (take nothing by mouth) for
several hours before the test.

For a scan in early pregnancy, the woman is usually asked to drink several glasses of water
and not to pass urine for a few hours before the test. A full bladder helps to improve the view
of the uterus by displacing nearby loops of intestine.

How is the procedure performed?

For most ultrasound exams, the patient is positioned lying face-up on an examination table
that can be tilted or moved.

A clear water-based gel is applied to the area of the body being studied to help the transducer
make secure contact with the body and eliminate air pockets between the transducer and the
skin. The sonographer (ultrasound technologist) or radiologist then presses the transducer
firmly against the skin in various locations, sweeping over the area of interest or angling the
sound beam from a farther location to better see an area of concern.

What will I experience during and after the procedure?

Most ultrasound examinations are painless, fast and easy.

After you are positioned on the examination table, the radiologist or sonographer will apply
some warm water-based gel on your skin and then place the transducer firmly against your
body, moving it back and forth over the area of interest until the desired images are captured.
There is usually no discomfort from pressure as the transducer is pressed against the area
being examined.

What Is an X-ray?

An X-ray, also known as a radiographic exam, gives doctors a view of the body’s internal structure
and organs.  X-ray machines cast photons into the body, and a computer captures images of the
body as it is lit up by the electromagnetic radiation.  Dense structures like bone essentially block X-
ray particles and show up as white, opaque matter on the X-ray images.  Similarly, metal objects and
contrast dyes also show up as white.  Structures filled with air appear black, while muscle, fat, and
fluid all appear in various shades of gray.   

The procedure is painless, so no anesthesia is necessary.  Patients should inform their doctor if they
are (or could be) pregnant or if they are wearing an IUD prior to the X-ray procedure.  The patient
must remove all jewelry and clothing and put on a hospital gown for the procedure.  The X-ray
technologist positions the patient and adjusts the machine and film according to the area of study. 
Even the slightest motion creates blurry images, so patients are often told to hold their breath for
the duration of the exposure, which usually lasts for 1 or seconds.   

Since X-rays are not an invasive procedure, patients can resume work immediately.  There is a slight
risk of cell damage, but this tends to repair quickly in most cases.  Many believe that the low risk is
outweighed by the benefits provided by X-rays.

Commonly Used Terms

Intensive Care Unit (ICU)


Burn patients in the ICU require more intensive or specialized care and monitoring.

IV (intravenous)
A small tube placed directly into a vein to give fluids, medicine or blood.

NG (Nasogastic)
A tube inserted through the mouth or nose into the stomach, used for feeding or to drain the
stomach contents to prevent vomiting.

NPO
Latin abbreviation meaning "nothing by mouth." This means the patient is not able to eat or
drink anything. Patients are NPO before surgery.

O2 Saturation
Oxygen content in the blood are measured by a plastic probe placed on a patient's fingers,
toes or earlobes.

OR
Operating room.

OT
Occupational therapist or therapy.

PO
Latin abbreviation meaning "by mouth."

PT
Physical therapist or therapy.

RT
Respiratory therapist or therapy.
Saline Lock (Heplock)
A small, rubber cap placed on an IV to maintain access to the vein.

Suctioning
A small tube inserted into the patient's lungs through the ET tube or nose to remove secretion.

Swan Ganz Catheter (Swan)


A large catheter placed in either the neck or chest to measure pressure in the patient's heart
and pulmonary artery.

Tracheostomy (Trach)
A surgical opening in the windpipe below the larynx (voice box) to supply air to the lungs.

Ventilator
A machine forces air through the ET or trach tube to the patient's lungs.

Common terms used in the hospital setting

Question Answer

FDA Food and Drug Administration

EEG Electroencephalogram measures brain waves

CPR Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation

CICU Cardiac Intensive Care Unit

CDC Center for Disease Control and prevention

CAT scan Computerized Axial Tomography, radiology or x-ray department

Cardiology Study of the heart.

ADL's Activities of Daily Living

Acute Care Care given in hospitals for illnesses or injuries with severe symptoms.

Dermatology Study of skin.

DNR Do Not Resuscitate

DOA Dead On Arrival

HIPAA Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, confidentiality law


Ambulatory To walk

As tol. As tolerated by patient ability

Chronic Care Long Term Care such as care given in nursing homes

EENT Ears, Eyes, Nose and Throat specialty

System that deals with hormones Endocrine system

HIV Human Immune Deficiency Virus

ICU Intensive Care Unit

Dr. Doctor

MD Medical Doctor

NICU Neonate(newborn) Intensive Care Unit

PPE Personal Protection Equipment such as gloves, gown, mask, googles

PRN As often as necessary/needed

 Abd: Abdomen
 A&D: Admission and discharge
 ADL: Activities of daily living
 amb: Ambulatory, able to walk
 amt: Amount
 AP: Appendectomy
 Cath: Catheter
 CBC: Complete blood count
 CCU: Cardiac care unit/ coronary care unit
 CBR: Complete bed rest
 C/O: Complaint of
 CVA: Cerebrovascular accident or stroke
 CPR: Cardiopulmonary resuscitation
 dc or d/c: Discontinue
 DX: Diagnosis

More Common Nursing Abbreviations

 ECG: Electrocardiogram
 EEG: Electroencephalogram
 FBS: Fasting blood sugar
 FF: Forced feeding or forced fluids
 Fx: Fracture
 GI: Gastrointestinal
 Gtt: Glucose tolerance test
 Gyn: Gynecology
 HOB: Head of bed
 ICU: Intensive care unit
 I&O: Intake and output
 Isol: Isolation
 IV: Intravenous
 noct: At night
 NPO: Nothing by mouth
 PAR: Postanesthesia room
 po: By mouth
 post op spec: After surgery urine specimen 
 Pt: Patient; pint
 Rom: Range of motion
 SOB: Shortness of breath
 Stat: At once, immediately
 TPR: Temperature, pulse, respiration
 U/A: Urinalysis
 VS: Vital signs
 w/c: Wheel chair 

You might also like

pFad - Phonifier reborn

Pfad - The Proxy pFad of © 2024 Garber Painting. All rights reserved.

Note: This service is not intended for secure transactions such as banking, social media, email, or purchasing. Use at your own risk. We assume no liability whatsoever for broken pages.


Alternative Proxies:

Alternative Proxy

pFad Proxy

pFad v3 Proxy

pFad v4 Proxy