Shortage of 0.9% saline for transfusions

[fanilhas 10]

With the national shortage of 0.9% saline, does anyone have a policy in place for allowing other compatible IV solutions to be used for transfusions?

[BldBnker 36]

What other compatible IV solutions?  I think 0.9% saline is the only one.

[fanilhas 10]

The technical manual says there are exceptions to normal saline if they've been FDA approved for transfusion. It lists Plasma-Lyte and Normosol-R as well as ABO compatible plasma and 5% albumin. I have no experience with the Plasma-Lyte or Normosol solutions.

[carolyn swickard 228]

Our hospital did a good job of sequestering the available saline and saving it for specific uses last time this happened.  Pharmacy kept track of it and did a good job keeping enough available for transfusion and other saline specific uses.  They used some of the other solutions to replace saline use for reasons other than transfusion where they could.  Maybe that would be a better/safer way to go?

[Carrie Easley 83]

We are using Normosol-R.  Some facilities are already just using a saline flush post transfusion rather than using a bag of saline.