Early resuscitation of bleeding trauma patients with multiple blood products improves outcome, yet transfusion initiation is not standardized. Shock index (heart rate/systolic blood pressure) and trauma bay uncrossmatched red blood cell (RBC) transfusion were evaluated for association with multiple transfusions, defined as 6 or more RBCs during the first 6 hrs of hospital presentation. A prehospital shock index of 1 was significantly associated with multiple transfusions (p = .02). Subjects receiving uncrossmatched RBCs required more RBCs during the first 6 hrs (10.3 units, p < .01). Consideration of these simple variables may help trauma nurses anticipate the potentially bleeding patient.
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