What should a nurse do with a unit of blood received while a patient is in the X-ray department?

The appropriate action for a nurse when a unit of blood is received while a patient is in the X-ray department is to return the blood to the blood bank for refrigeration within 30 minutes. Blood products must be administered promptly to prevent deterioration, and once a unit of blood has left the blood bank, it cannot be left at room temperature for more than 30 minutes. If the patient is temporarily unavailable for the transfusion, it is crucial to return the blood to ensure it stays within the safe temperature range, maintaining its viability and reducing the risk of transfusion reaction when the patient is finally able to receive it.

Hanging the blood transfusion immediately upon the patient’s return or storing the blood in a unit refrigerator would not comply with the strict protocols for blood storage, which require that blood products remain at appropriate temperatures and be administered in a timely manner. Taking the unit to the X-ray department to initiate the transfusion would also be inappropriate since blood should not be subjected to varying temperatures and should be administered in a controlled environment.