Blood Test Questions with Answers Graded A+
Which action should be performed to avoid the most common cause of fatal
transfusion reactions?
A. Establish vascular access.
B. Have two qualified health care professionals check the blood component
information and the patient's identification.
C. Keep the blood refrigerated until the time of transfusion.
D. Administer the blood over a 4-hour period. - Ans -B Rationale: The
most common cause of fatal transfusion reactions is type mismatches due to
clerical error, administration of blood to the wrong patient, or incorrect
identification of the blood component. Having two qualified health care
professionals check the blood component information and the patient's
identification is the best way to avoid giving the wrong blood product to the
wrong patient. Vascular access is required to administer blood products and
does not influence transfusion reactions. All blood or blood components that
are not used immediately should be returned to the blood bank or refrigerated
until the time of transfusion and administered within 4 hours or less, but
failure to adhere to these guidelines is not the most common cause of fatal
transfusion reactions.
A patient is being treated for burns. The transfusionist anticipates
administering albumin to achieve which goal?
A. Facilitating blood coagulation
B. Restoring factor VIII levels
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C. Treating acute hemorrhage
, D. Replacing and maintaining intravascular volume - Ans -D Rationale:
Albumin is used to maintain normal colloid oncotic pressure and therefore
intravascular volume. It does not contain factor VIII, RBCs, or clotting
components.
After running an FFP infusion slowly for the first 15 minutes to watch for any
transfusion reactions, what should the transfusionist do next?
A. Complete the infusion over 6 hours.
B. Run the infusion wide open until completed.
C. Decrease the infusion to a rate of 10 ml/hr.
D. Increase the infusion rate as desired. - Ans -D. Rationale: Assuming
that no transfusion reaction is observed within the first 15 minutes, the
transfusionist should reassess vital signs and increase the infusion rate as
desired. Most blood products, including FFP, should be infused within 4 hours
or less.
If a patient develops a skin rash, edema, and wheezing during a blood
transfusion, what should the transfusionist do?
A. Discard the blood bag and tubing.
B. Decrease the rate of the transfusion.
C. Stop the transfusion immediately.
D. Reassess the patient in 10 minutes. - Ans -C. Rationale: Rash,
edema, and wheezing are signs of an anaphylactic reaction, and the
2
transfusion should be stopped immediately. The transfusionist should
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, continuously monitor the patient while summoning assistance and
anticipating epinephrine administration. The blood bag and tubing should be
saved to return to the blood bank.
After spiking the blood component bag and filling the drip chamber to cover
the filter, the transfusionist observes air bubbles in the drip chamber. Which
action should be taken next?
A. Infuse the blood component with no filter in the line.
B. Tap the filter chamber lightly.
C. Leave the existing air bubbles in the line.
D. Change the entire tubing. - Ans -B. Rationale: Tapping the filter
chamber lightly causes the air bubbles to dissipate as they rise in the drip
chamber. Blood component is never administered without a filter or with
visible air bubbles in the line. There is no need to change the entire tubing and
waste the blood component that is already in it when tapping will eliminate
the problem.
During rapid resuscitation of a trauma patient, the blood filter has become
clogged. What is the most appropriate intervention?
A. Squeeze the filter.
B. Use a rapid infuser.
C. Flush the IV line with a 0.9% sodium chloride solution.
D. Change the filter. - Ans -D. Rationale: A clogged filter must be
3
changed to facilitate effective blood transfusion. Squeezing the filter and
Page
Which action should be performed to avoid the most common cause of fatal
transfusion reactions?
A. Establish vascular access.
B. Have two qualified health care professionals check the blood component
information and the patient's identification.
C. Keep the blood refrigerated until the time of transfusion.
D. Administer the blood over a 4-hour period. - Ans -B Rationale: The
most common cause of fatal transfusion reactions is type mismatches due to
clerical error, administration of blood to the wrong patient, or incorrect
identification of the blood component. Having two qualified health care
professionals check the blood component information and the patient's
identification is the best way to avoid giving the wrong blood product to the
wrong patient. Vascular access is required to administer blood products and
does not influence transfusion reactions. All blood or blood components that
are not used immediately should be returned to the blood bank or refrigerated
until the time of transfusion and administered within 4 hours or less, but
failure to adhere to these guidelines is not the most common cause of fatal
transfusion reactions.
A patient is being treated for burns. The transfusionist anticipates
administering albumin to achieve which goal?
A. Facilitating blood coagulation
B. Restoring factor VIII levels
1
Page
C. Treating acute hemorrhage
, D. Replacing and maintaining intravascular volume - Ans -D Rationale:
Albumin is used to maintain normal colloid oncotic pressure and therefore
intravascular volume. It does not contain factor VIII, RBCs, or clotting
components.
After running an FFP infusion slowly for the first 15 minutes to watch for any
transfusion reactions, what should the transfusionist do next?
A. Complete the infusion over 6 hours.
B. Run the infusion wide open until completed.
C. Decrease the infusion to a rate of 10 ml/hr.
D. Increase the infusion rate as desired. - Ans -D. Rationale: Assuming
that no transfusion reaction is observed within the first 15 minutes, the
transfusionist should reassess vital signs and increase the infusion rate as
desired. Most blood products, including FFP, should be infused within 4 hours
or less.
If a patient develops a skin rash, edema, and wheezing during a blood
transfusion, what should the transfusionist do?
A. Discard the blood bag and tubing.
B. Decrease the rate of the transfusion.
C. Stop the transfusion immediately.
D. Reassess the patient in 10 minutes. - Ans -C. Rationale: Rash,
edema, and wheezing are signs of an anaphylactic reaction, and the
2
transfusion should be stopped immediately. The transfusionist should
Page
, continuously monitor the patient while summoning assistance and
anticipating epinephrine administration. The blood bag and tubing should be
saved to return to the blood bank.
After spiking the blood component bag and filling the drip chamber to cover
the filter, the transfusionist observes air bubbles in the drip chamber. Which
action should be taken next?
A. Infuse the blood component with no filter in the line.
B. Tap the filter chamber lightly.
C. Leave the existing air bubbles in the line.
D. Change the entire tubing. - Ans -B. Rationale: Tapping the filter
chamber lightly causes the air bubbles to dissipate as they rise in the drip
chamber. Blood component is never administered without a filter or with
visible air bubbles in the line. There is no need to change the entire tubing and
waste the blood component that is already in it when tapping will eliminate
the problem.
During rapid resuscitation of a trauma patient, the blood filter has become
clogged. What is the most appropriate intervention?
A. Squeeze the filter.
B. Use a rapid infuser.
C. Flush the IV line with a 0.9% sodium chloride solution.
D. Change the filter. - Ans -D. Rationale: A clogged filter must be
3
changed to facilitate effective blood transfusion. Squeezing the filter and
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