Which blood component is used to increase hemoglobin and hematocrit level?

SGPGI Nursing Officer-2022

Applied Physiology

Easy

Appeared in: SGPGI Nursing Officer-2022

Explanation

Red Blood Cells (RBCs) are the primary carriers of hemoglobin, the protein that transports oxygen in the blood.
Hemoglobin and hematocrit are laboratory values that directly measure the concentration and volume of RBCs.
Therefore, to treat symptomatic anemia (low RBCs), Packed Red Blood Cells (PRBCs) are transfused to directly increase the patient's hemoglobin and hematocrit levels.
A single unit of PRBCs is expected to raise the hemoglobin by approximately 1 g/dL and the hematocrit by about 3% in an average adult.

Option B: White Blood Cells (WBCs) are the body's defense against infection. They do not carry oxygen and have no impact on hemoglobin or hematocrit levels.
Option C: Platelets are small cell fragments responsible for blood clotting. They are transfused to control or prevent bleeding in patients with low platelet counts (thrombocytopenia).
Option D: This option is incorrect because only RBCs are used to increase hemoglobin and hematocrit. WBCs and platelets serve entirely different functions (immunity and clotting, respectively).

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: Knowing Indications for Blood Component Therapy helps nurses interpret findings accurately and avoid errors in routine assessment, medication administration, and patient teaching.
Understanding the specific indication for each blood component is critical for patient safety to ensure the correct product is administered to treat the underlying condition.
Nurses must meticulously verify the patient's identity and the blood product details (component type, blood group, expiration date) with another qualified professional before starting a transfusion to prevent life-threatening hemolytic reactions.
What if? If a patient has a history of febrile non-hemolytic transfusion reactions, the nurse should anticipate an order for pre-medication with an antipyretic and the use of leukocyte-reduced RBCs to minimize the risk of another reaction.

How to Approach the Question

First, identify the key terms in the question: 'increase hemoglobin and hematocrit'.
Recall the primary function of each major blood component.
Connect the terms 'hemoglobin' and 'hematocrit' to their corresponding cell type. These are the primary measures of red blood cells.
Conclude that the blood component used to increase these levels must be Red Blood Cells (RBCs).
Evaluate the other options to confirm they are incorrect. WBCs are for immunity, and platelets are for clotting, making them unsuitable for treating low hemoglobin.
Use the provided image of a PRBC bag as a strong visual confirmation of the correct answer.

Concept Tested & Keywords

Concept Tested: Indications for Blood Component Therapy
Stem keywords: blood component, hemoglobin, hematocrit
Lead-in keywords: Which
Clinical cues: The image of a Packed Red Blood Cell (PRBC) bag visually confirms the component used for transfusion to raise hemoglobin.
Negative lead-in flag: false

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E6 Nursing Fundamentals Taylor p. 806-808

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