Learning outcome 3: Recognise some of the common problems and safety issues surrounding intravenous fluid and blood administration

What problems and safety issues are you aware of relating to intravenous and blood transfusion?

ACTIVITY

Key problems relate to infection risk and systemic reactions.

One of the main risks of infusions is infection, particularly at the site of cannula

insertion (NICE 2003; DH 2006). The Department of Health’s Saving Lives

campaign (2007) focuses on issues of safe care, especially infection prevention in

line management (see Box 5.2).