Jehovah’s Witness
Patients may decline transfusions for many reasons. The most common reason for declining transfusion is a religious objection among Jehovah’s Witnesses1. This follows from strict interpretation of certain passages in The Bible.
Caring for Jehovah’s Witnesses may present a unique challenge to providers around the time of surgery when blood loss can be expected. It is extremely important to plan for, clearly document, and treat the patient according to their wishes and beliefs. There are very serious religious consequences to Jehovah’s Witnesses if they do receive blood products incorrectly.
Details of the management of these patients are not included in this document, but are clearly and comprehensively documented for use in The Beacon Hospital in ‘Refusal of Transfusion’ (Doc. no. PPC-LAB-05), which is available on the Q-Pulse system.
This should be consulted should any patient present for Pre-Operative Assessment who refuses transfusion of some or all blood products for religious or other reasons. The key principles are a thorough exploration and documentation of what is and is not acceptable, and clear communication between the patient, the clinic, the surgeon, and the anaesthesiologist.