Advice for Patients following Blood Transfusion

Advice for Patients following Blood Transfusion

Most blood transfusions take place without any problems but having a blood transfusion carries with it a very small risk of developing side effects. These may develop within several hours, or in some cases may happen days or weeks later. These side effects are often mild, but it is still important to report any unusual or unexpected symptoms to a doctor or nurse (or midwife if your transfusion was related to pregnancy/ childbirth)

Please contact the hospital for advice if you experience any of the following after having a blood transfusion:

• a high temperature – feeling, feverish, hot and clammy
• shivering or ‘cold chills’
• breathing problems
• extreme tiredness
• passing blood in your urine
• passing much less, or very dark urine
• itchy skin rash
• pain in the lower back (loin pain)
• unexpected or unexplained bruising
• jaundice (yellow colour of the white or your eyes or your skin)

When contracting the hospital for advice, please inform the hospital staff that you have recently had a blood transfusion.

This section to be completed by staff on discharge. Explain to the patient how to obtain assistance in the event of a problem (both ‘in hours’ and out of hours’) and then give the leaflet to the patient, before they leave the ward/clinic.

Ward/Dept.:
Contact Tel No:
Date and time of last transfusion:

If you are unable to make contact with the hospital where you had your transfusion, then please contact your GP or NHS 111 as soon as possible.

In the rare event of an emergency (life threatening problems, for example difficulty breathing) call 999 for an ambulance and bring this leaflet with you into hospital.

If you would like further information and advice about this, or other aspects of blood transfusion, please discuss this with your hospital doctor, nurse of midwife.

Please be advised that as you have received a blood transfusion, you are not currently able to donate blood.

If your symptoms or condition worsens, or if you are concerned about anything, please call your GP, 111, or 999.

Patient Experience
We know that being admitted to hospital can be a difficult and unsettling time for you and your loved ones. If you have any questions or concerns, please do speak with a member of staff on the ward or in the relevant department who will do their best to answer your questions and reassure you.

Feedback
Feedback is really important and useful to us – it can tell us where we are working well and where improvements can be made. There are lots of ways you can share your experience with us including completing our Friends and Family Test – cards are available and can be posted on all wards, departments and clinics at our hospitals. We value your comments and feedback and thank you for taking the time to share this with us.

Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS)
If you have any concerns or questions about your care, we advise you to talk with the nurse in charge or the department manager in the first instance as they are best placed to answer any questions or resolve concerns quickly. If the relevant member of staff is unable to help resolve your concern, you can contact the PALS Team. We offer informal help, advice or support about any aspect of hospital services & experiences.

Our PALS team will liaise with the various departments in our hospitals on your behalf, if you feel unable to do so, to resolve your problems and where appropriate refer to outside help.

If you are still unhappy you can contact the Complaints Department, who can investigate your concerns. You can make a complaint orally, electronically or in writing and we can advise and guide you through the complaints procedure.

How to contact PALS:
Telephone Patient Services: 0300 123 1732 or via email at: wah-tr.PALS@nhs.net

Opening times:
The PALS telephone lines are open Monday to Thursday from 8.30am to 4.30pm and Friday: 8.30am to 4.00pm. Please be aware that a voicemail service is in use at busy times, but messages will be returned as quickly as possible.

If you are unable to understand this leaflet, please communicate with a member of staff.

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