Research Report: Analysing the Side Effects of Blood Transfusion

This research report delves into the side effects of blood transfusions, focusing on a study within the UK. It begins with an ethical approval worksheet and a research log documenting the project's progress. The report includes a literature review that identifies the causes and side effects of blood transfusions, highlighting issues such as fever, dizziness, and infection risks. It also explores effective ways to mitigate these side effects, such as ICU support, medication, and antihistamines. The research employs qualitative methods, utilizing secondary data sources like articles and publications. Findings are analyzed using graphs to illustrate trends in blood screening and cancer patient comparisons. The report concludes by summarizing the positive and negative impacts of blood transfusions and offering recommendations for healthcare professionals to ensure patient safety through detailed awareness and proper blood type matching. This comprehensive analysis provides valuable insights into the complexities of blood transfusions and their implications for patient health.

Research Project
(Analysing the main side effects of Blood
Transfusion in human bodies)

Table of Contents
Worksheet One: Ethical Approval...................................................................................................2
Worksheet Two: Research Log...................................................................................................3
Research Report..........................................................................................................................4
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................9

Worksheet One: Ethical Approval
Knowledge domain relevant to the named diploma
The chosen domain for this report is health care in which side effects of Blood transfusion
in human bodies are determined in effective and efficient manner. Within this report, the detailed
information related to the blood transfusion in human bodies are examined. The reason behind
choosing the health care topic is that people can know more about the causes and side effects of
blood transfusion within human bodies.
Project brief
In order to develop the project, the different chapters and section are determined they are as
follows:
Literature review: In this section, a detailed information related to the topic are
determined by using various secondary sources.
Methodology: Methodology chapter mainly includes different research methods which
are used by the researcher in order to complete the project in appropriate manner.
Results: In this the result of the project is summarised by including charts and graph
related to the chosen topic.
Evaluation: This chapter generally analyse about the findings which researcher gathers
and develop ideas on the basis of the project.
Conclusion and recommendation: In this section, the overall outcomes of the project is
summarised and also the recommendation is given in order to improve or make any changes.
Ethical, practical or safety issues, explaining how these will be managed/overcome
There are various ethical issues faced by the researcher such as voluntary participation,
informed consent, confidentiality and potential form harm. In order to reduce the ethical issues it
is important to focus on maintaining the confidentiality and also collects the data without
harming the sentiments and emotions of people. The safety issues faced by the investigator are
protecting participants confidentiality. It is the responsibility of researcher to focus on encrypting
computer based file and also store documents safely (Khodatars, Kemp and Thakrar, 2021)..
Worksheet Two: Research Log
Record of project progress through all stages of research, development and completion.
Week: Project Log Book

S. No. Activities Action
1 Update on last weeks’
work
I have conducted this research on the main side effects of
Blood transfusion in human bodies.
Yes, I was on the track and also completed the report on time.
I don't need any changes in project management plan.
2 Problems encountered
and how did you handle
that
While conducting this report, I have analysed that I faced lack
of time due to which I have used Gantt Chart.
3 Tasks for this week: In this week, I collected secondary information from books,
articles and many other sources.
4 Any risks and/or issues
identified?
The issues which are faced by doing this project are lack of
resources, lack of time and low budget.
5 Tasks planned for next
weeks
We have planned to conduct secondary research by using
articles and publication.
6 Project plan status to
date (on, ahead, behind)
My project was on time.
7 Experience By conducting this study, my experience was good.
8 Challenges By doing this study, I faced several challenges such as time,
cost etc.
7 Remarks By Lecturer if
any

8 Name & Signature
(Student):
Name & Signature (Lecturer):
Research Report
In-depth research from a wide range of sources.
Blood Transfusion
As per the perspective of Seghatchian (2019), Blood transfusion is a procedure of
transmitting the blood products into the vein. In this process, the blood moves from bag through
rubber tube into needle into the vein's of person. The blood are generally provided by the donors
to blood banks and healthcare providers. The components of blood are plasma, cryoprecipitate,
platelets and red blood cells.
Major causes of Blood Transfusion along with its side effects on the heath of people
According to the viewpoint of Reynolds, Davison and Brailsford (2019), there are various
causes of Blood transfusion along with side effects on the health of people. The few causes of
blood transfusion are anemia, certain cancers, hemophilia and sickle cell disease (Thompson and
et. al., 2020). There are also side effects of blood transfusion on the health of people they are
fever, dizziness, itching, hypothermia, back pain and low blood pressure (Koeckerling and et. al.,
2020). As per the analysis, infection is the major risk which is associated with the UK. In this,
9.8 percent of population faces the blood infection while blood transfusion in UK. Whereas, 7.8
percent of the people from the Australia. As per current scenario the screening and prevention
procedure, infection from the blood transfusion is rare in the UK.
Effective ways that would be used for overcoming the side effects of Blood transfusion in human
bodies?
As per the opinion of Kherad and et. al., (2019), there are effective ways which can be
used in order to overcome the side effects of blood transfusion in human bodies such as
providing ICU support and therapy, provide medications, check the haemoglobin level of the
donor and also taking an antihistamine to treat allergic reaction (Keir and et. al., 2019).

According to the National Health Service, the guideline is circulated which help to prevent the
infection due to blood transfusion. In addition, the use of standard donor screening questionnaire
is pivotal where the laboratory test is also taken that help to minimise the risk of infectious
organism being transmitted by the blood. Additionally, the Australian Red Cross Blood Service
also regulate standard pathway for the reduction of common infection that is Hepatitis C that is
analysed. In this, it is detected with the use of serologic assays in order to detect the HCV
antibodies combined with the HCV MP-NAT. Therefore, the antihistamine is used to take with
the ways to overcome the side effect which is seen after the post blood transfusion (Blood
transfusion, 2021).
Aim: To analyse the main side effects of Blood transfusion in human bodies: A study on UK
people
Objectives:
 To develop basic understanding about the Blood Transfusion
 To identify the causes of Blood Transfusion along with its side effects on the heath of
people
 To determine the ways that would be used for overcoming the side effects of Blood
transfusion in human bodies
Questions:
 What is the Blood Transfusion?
 What are the major causes of Blood Transfusion along with its side effects on the heath of
people? What are the effective ways that would be used for overcoming the side effects of Blood
transfusion in human bodies?
Information and/or evidence.
Within this current investigation, researcher is focusing on choosing qualitative research
methods in order to collect the information related to the chosen topic. The chosen data collection
method for this project is secondary data collection method (Allan, 2020). The research has
gathered the information by using different secondary sources such as articles, publication,
newspapers, etc.
3.2 Analyse findings and develop ideas.

The above graph represents the UK blood screening market size, the graph depicts the
number of UK blood screening from 2014 to 2025. In this graph chart the prediction is done for
2023, 2024 and 2025. It is being identified from the above graph that there is continuous rise in
blood transfusion which is one of the major factors for boosting the market growth.
The above graph shows the comparison between US population ages 50-79 and UK
population between 45-74. It generally represents the comparison between cancer patients within
UK and US. Thus, the overall graph depicts about the issues related to different body problems.
In the context with the UK, it is configuring that approximate 2.5 million unit of blood are
usually transfused in the United Kingdom and there have been just handful of cases where patient
is usually known to show the effect of infected with the vCJD from the blood transfusion. In
other hand, Australia is one of the of safest supplier of the blood in the world. It is also analysed
that the blood transfusion is not free from the risk. In Australia the blood is collected from the
voluntarily donor (Blood transfusion, 2022).

Within this project the healthcare domain is chosen in which the topic related to blood
transfusion is selected in order to provide brief information related to the study. Blood
transfusion is a process in which individual requires blood in order to survive.
I have learnt form the above findings and research that blood transfusion is increasing day
by day due to which the numbers of surgeries are performed including organ transplant,
chemotherapy and heart surgery due to which large number of samples of blood are collected. It
becomes important to create awareness of blood transfusion and also focus on rising incidence of
infectious diseases.
The data for above stated literature review has been collected with the help of secondary
source of research method that comprises of analysis of data from relevant set of online articles
and journals.
Conclusion
It is being concluded from the above information that blood transfusion have positive as
well as negative impact on the human bodies. The benefits of blood transfusion are plasma and
cryoprecipitate can prevent or control bleeding and also platelets helps in preventing and
controlling the bleeding due to low platelet count. The different kind of reaction that happen from
the blood transfusion are breathing troubles, fever, hemolytic transfusion reaction, etc.
Recommendations
From the above information it is being recommended that it is important to have detailed
awareness about the blood transfusion and its side effects. It is essential for healthcare
professionals to check blood pressure, temperature and pulse of people. The healthcare
professional must ensures that the blood type must be match with the blood type of needy person.

REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Allan, G., 2020. Qualitative research. In Handbook for research students in the social
sciences (pp. 177-189). Routledge.
Keir, A. K and et. al., 2019. Approaches to understanding and interpreting the risks of red blood
cell transfusion in neonates. Transfusion Medicine, 29(4), pp.231-238.
Kherad, O and et. al., 2019. Outcomes following restrictive or liberal red blood cell transfusion in
patients with lower gastrointestinal bleeding. Alimentary Pharmacology &
Therapeutics, 49(7), pp.919-925.
Khodatars, S., Kemp, D. and Thakrar, S., 2021, January. Survey to review how clinicians consent
surgical patients for a blood transfusion pre and post operatively and if this aligns with
consent advice provided by national standards. In ANAESTHESIA (Vol. 76, pp. 150-
150). 111 RIVER ST, HOBOKEN 07030-5774, NJ USA: WILEY.
Koeckerling, D and et. al., 2020. Blood transfusion strategies and ECMO during the COVID-19
pandemic. The Lancet Respiratory Medicine, 8(5), p.e40.
Reynolds, C., Davison, K .L. and Brailsford, S. R., 2019. Safe supplies: few infections in UK
blood and tissue donors. Transfusion Medicine, 29(4), pp.239-246.
Seghatchian, J., 2019. Reflections on current status of blood transfusion transplant viral safety in
UK/Europe and on novel strategies for enhancing donors/recipients healthcare in
promising era of advanced cell therapy/regenerative medicine. Transfusion and
Apheresis Science, 58(4), pp.532-537.
Thompson, C .P and et. al., 2020. Neutralising antibodies to SARS coronavirus 2 in Scottish
blood donors-a pilot study of the value of serology to determine population exposure.
Online
Blood transfusion, 2021 [Online] Available through: https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/blood-
transfusion
Blood transfusion, 2022 [Online] Available through: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/blood-
transfusion/