After a blood transfusion, what is an essential assessment for the nurse to perform?

Monitoring oxygen saturation levels after a blood transfusion is crucial because it helps assess the patient's respiratory status and ensures that oxygen is being adequately delivered throughout the body. An abnormal oxygen saturation level may indicate a transfusion reaction or other complications, such as an allergic response or hemolytic reaction, which can affect how well blood is carrying oxygen to tissues.

While other assessments, like checking for pallor of the skin or evaluating for signs of fluid overload, are important, monitoring oxygen saturation provides immediate information regarding the patient's condition post-transfusion. Recognizing changes in oxygen levels can enable prompt interventions to ensure patient safety and health. Assessing for jaundice is also less immediate and may not be critical right after the transfusion, as jaundice can take time to develop and is more relevant for ongoing monitoring rather than for immediate assessment.