A patient experiencing "first-use" syndrome is having breathing difficulties. What should the dialysis technician do?

In cases of "first-use" syndrome, patients can experience an allergic reaction to the materials in the dialyzer, leading to symptoms such as breathing difficulties, flushing, and hypotension. Discarding the dialyzer is the most appropriate action because it prevents further exposure to the antigenic materials that may be causing the adverse reaction. By removing the source of the reaction, the technician helps to mitigate the patient's symptoms and ensures their safety.

Taking the patient's blood pressure readings every 5 minutes, asking the RN to dispense Benadryl, or returning the blood to the patient does not address the immediate risk posed by the dialyzer. In fact, further exposure to the dialyzer could exacerbate the patient's condition, making it critical to stop the treatment involving that dialyzer right away. Discarding it ensures the patient will not come to further harm from that particular dialyzer.