Certified Medical-Surgical Registered Nurse Practice Test

A patient with blood type B can receive a transfusion of what type of RBCs?

1. Type A or type O

2. Type B or type O

3. Type AB or type O

4. Type A or type B

The correct answer is: Type B or type O

A patient with blood type B can receive a transfusion of type B or type O red blood cells. This is because individuals with blood type B have B antigens on their red blood cells and anti-A antibodies in their plasma. Therefore, they can safely receive blood from donors with type B (who do not have A antigens that would be attacked by the recipient's anti-A antibodies) and from type O donors who have neither A nor B antigens to react with the recipient's antibodies. Blood types A and AB would not be compatible due to the presence of A antigens that could lead to an adverse immune reaction in the recipient.