The blood type was incorrect. Diagram what happened to Jessalyn.

Question

Jessalyn:  Jessalyn regularly goes in for blood transfusions. Jessalyn's blood type is A-. Normally her blood transfusions go well and her nurse, Traci, does a great job of double checking the blood type she is receiving. This time Traci is out of town and she gets a nurse who was able to skate through school doing the bare minimum and doesn't really care that much about his job. He doesn't double check the blood type for her transfusion and . . .

1. The blood type was incorrect. Diagram what happened to Jessalyn.
2. Which blood type(s) could Jessalyn receive, why?

Answer 1

1. If the blood type for Jessalyn’s transfusion was incorrect, it could lead to a transfusion reaction. This happens when the donor blood cells are attacked by the recipient’s immune system because they are recognized as foreign. This can cause fever, chills, low blood pressure, shortness of breath, and in severe cases, kidney failure or death.
2. Jessalyn’s blood type is A-, which means she has A antigens on the surface of her red blood cells and anti-B antibodies in her plasma. She can safely receive blood from donors with type A- or O- blood. Type A- blood has A antigens and no Rh factor, which is compatible with her immune system. Type O- blood has no A or B antigens and no Rh factor, so it is considered the universal donor and can be given to anyone with a negative Rh factor.