Question:

Our Blood Administration Policy states that blood can only be hung with normal saline (no meds piggybacked), but what is your facility’s policy for administering blood through different ports of a central line (distal, medial, proximal)? Is it allowed? If allowed and if other life sustaining meds or chemo which cannot be suspended for the transfusion are being administered through one or more of the other ports, is the blood still administered through the central line port or is a separate venous access obtained? What is the policy if an alternate venous access cannot be obtained for the patient? Thanks so much for sharing your policies on this issue!

Edited March 14, 201213 yr by mara

We also do not allow blood going in with other ports where any other med is given. We had two instances at a previous hospital where this was done, once with morphine, once with glucose and the patient had a bad outcome.

The physician has to decide what is more life sustaining and complete one before giving the other.