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Difficulty: EasyPharmacological and Parenteral Therapies

An adult client with symptomatic anemia is scheduled to receive a transfusion of packed red blood cells. The healthcare provider has prescribed the blood product to be infused over two hours. Which of the following intravenous fluids must the nurse select to prime the blood administration tubing?

  1. 0.9%0.9\% sodium chlorideAnswer
  2. B
    Lactated Ringer's solution
  3. C
    5%5\% dextrose in water
  4. D
    0.45%0.45\% sodium chloride

Answer

The correct answer is 0.9%0.9\% sodium chloride.
0.9%0.9\% sodium chloride (normal saline) is the only intravenous fluid compatible with packed red blood cells. It is an isotonic solution that does not cause red blood cells to shrink or swell, and it lacks additives that promote coagulation, making it uniquely safe for priming tubing and flushing the line before and after a transfusion.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the required procedure.
The nurse is preparing to administer a transfusion of packed red blood cells.
Blood product administration requires strict adherence to compatibility protocols to prevent life-threatening adverse reactions.
2
Recall compatibility rules for blood transfusions.
Blood products are highly incompatible with most intravenous fluids, medications, and parenteral nutrition.
Incompatible solutions can cause the red blood cells to lyse (break open) or coagulate inside the tubing.
3
Select the appropriate priming fluid.
0.9%0.9\% sodium chloride is selected.
It is an isotonic solution without calcium or dextrose, making it the only safe option for priming and flushing blood administration lines.

Key Concept

0.9% sodium chloride (normal saline) is the only intravenous fluid approved for use with blood product transfusions to prevent cellular damage and clotting.
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Topics

Pharmacological and Parenteral Therapies

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