After discontinuing a blood transfusion due to a reaction, where should the nurse send the blood transfusion bag?

When a blood transfusion reaction occurs and the transfusion is discontinued, it is critical to send the blood transfusion bag to the blood bank. This is because the blood bank is responsible for the safety and integrity of blood products. Returning the bag allows for proper analysis and documentation of the incident, which can help identify any issues with the blood product or potential transfusion reactions. The blood bank will also investigate the reaction, ensure that the blood products are accounted for, and maintain accurate records for tracking and safety reporting.

In contrast, sending the blood bag to the lab would not be appropriate because the lab does not handle blood products for transfusion or reaction analysis. The emergency room is primarily focused on immediate patient care and stabilization, not on investigating the blood product itself. Sending the bag to the nurse's station would not facilitate the required analysis or record-keeping, as it does not have the facilities or protocols in place to handle blood products safely or accurately. Therefore, directing the bag to the blood bank ensures that the proper procedures for managing transfusion reactions are followed.