ER stab victim needs urgent blood bank decisions
Source: chegg.com
TL;DR
- A 45-year-old man with multiple stab wounds needs urgent blood products in the ER.
- Doctor orders 10 units RBCs stat; first 2 units without crossmatch for AB D-positive patient.
- Tests blood bank skills in selecting compatible RBCs, FFP, platelets, and cryo from given inventory.
The story at a glance
This Chegg homework problem presents a trauma case where a 45-year-old man arrives in the ER with multiple stab wounds, prompting an order for 10 units of RBCs immediately. The blood bank must issue 2 units right away without crossmatch to the AB D-positive patient, then prepare more products for surgery. It is designed to teach emergency blood product selection based on real inventory lists.[[1]](https://www.chegg.com/homework-help/questions-and-answers/45-year-old-man-admitted-er-multiple-stab-wounds-doctor-ordered-ten-units-rbcs-stat-two-un-q173659596)
Key points
- Patient blood type: group AB D-positive; antibody screen negative.
- Initial need: 2 units RBCs STAT without crossmatch—universal donor options from inventory (O neg preferred, then O pos).
- Inventory for red cells: 15 O pos, 4 B pos, 2 B neg, 5 A neg, 15 A pos, 1 AB neg, 1 AB pos, 8 O neg.
- For OR: 4 units RBCs, 4 units thawed FFP (AB preferred), 1 plateletpheresis unit, 10 units thawed CRYO (pools of 5).
- Other inventory: FFP (2 AB pos, 5 AB neg, etc.); platelets (1 each A pos/neg, B pos, O neg); CRYO (2 AB neg, 1 B pos, 2 A pos).
- Tasks require subtracting initial units used and specifying types/temperatures for OR products.[[1]](https://www.chegg.com/homework-help/questions-and-answers/45-year-old-man-admitted-er-multiple-stab-wounds-doctor-ordered-ten-units-rbcs-stat-two-un-q173659596)
Details and context
The scenario mimics massive transfusion protocol in trauma, where speed trumps full compatibility testing for the first units. AB positive patients can receive plasma from any ABO group but red cells only from AB; in emergencies without crossmatch, uncrossmatched O neg RBCs (universal donor) are standard to avoid ABO incompatibility, followed by type-specific if needed.
Inventory reflects typical hospital stock, prioritizing O neg for emergencies due to low antigenicity. Questions build sequentially: first emergency release, then OR prep after typing confirmation.
This tests knowledge of transfusion hierarchies—RBCs at 1-6°C, thawed FFP/CRYO at 1-6°C post-thaw, platelets at room temp.
Key quotes
None; this is an unsolved homework problem without sourced statements.
Why it matters
Emergency blood banking decisions directly affect survival in trauma from blood loss. Students and techs learn precise compatibility rules to prevent hemolytic reactions during crises. Watch for full solutions or similar cases in blood bank exams to verify selections like 2 O neg RBCs first.[[1]](https://www.chegg.com/homework-help/questions-and-answers/45-year-old-man-admitted-er-multiple-stab-wounds-doctor-ordered-ten-units-rbcs-stat-two-un-q173659596)