When a suspected transfusion reaction (fever of 2 F above baseline) occurs, the nurse stops the transfusion and contacts the Blood Bank and the patients physician, who may give orders to continue with the transfusion. While the pathologist is contacting and consulting with the physician, the nurse feels that she must follow doctors orders and continue with the transfusion. Does this occur in other institutions and if so, how is it handled? Also, what is your protocol when the patients physician is adamant that the transfusion continue and that a suspected reaction work-up not be performed? Does the pathologist intervene and initiate the reaction work-up and discontinue the transfusion? We are caught between the physicians and our State Dept. of Health on this issue and would appreciate other opinions.