Calculating Required RBC Units for Transfusion

A nurse is preparing to administer a unit of red blood cells (RBCs) to a patient with a hemoglobin level of 7 g/dL. The physician has ordered the transfusion of 2 units of RBCs. Each unit of RBCs is expected to raise the hemoglobin level by approximately 1 g/dL.

To ensure effective treatment, the nurse calculates how many units of RBCs the patient may need to raise the hemoglobin to a safe level of at least 10 g/dL. Fill in the blank: The total number of units of RBCs needed is __.