Hospitals Are Running Low on Blood - Here’s What Nurses Need to Know
- The U.S. blood supply has dropped by approximately 35% in overall blood inventory, creating nationwide challenges for hospitals and patients.
- Winter weather and seasonal illness have disrupted donations while hospital demand for blood products remains high.
- Nurses play a critical role in patient safety, conservation efforts, and public education during blood shortages.
On January 26, 2026, the American Red Cross reported a significant nationwide decline in blood supply, with inventories dropping about 35% over the past month. The shortage has raised concerns across healthcare systems as hospitals continue to experience increased demand for blood products during winter and peak respiratory illness season.
“Almost one-third of the organization's blood stores across the country have been depleted due to hospital need,” Dr. Courtney Lawrence, divisional chief medical officer for the American Red Cross, told ABC News. The reduction in available blood products has prompted renewed calls for blood donations nationwide.
Factors Contributing to the Blood Shortage
The current blood shortage is the result of several overlapping factors affecting both supply and demand.
Severe winter weather led to the cancellation of more than 400 blood drives in January, significantly limiting collection efforts across multiple regions. Weather-related disruptions reduced donor turnout and prevented thousands of scheduled donations from being collected.
At the same time, seasonal influenza activity has affected the blood supply from multiple angles. Illness among potential donors has reduced availability, while hospitals have reported increased admissions related to respiratory illness, driving higher utilization of blood products. As a result, donation rates have fallen below levels needed to meet ongoing patient demand.
Impact on Patient Care
Blood shortages most directly affect patients who depend on timely transfusions, including trauma patients, individuals undergoing cancer treatment, patients with sickle cell disease, those with blood disorders, and individuals experiencing obstetric emergencies such as postpartum hemorrhage.
When blood supplies are limited, healthcare facilities may be required to prioritize transfusions for the most urgent cases or delay non-emergency procedures. These measures can impact care planning across multiple departments and place additional strain on clinical teams.
The American Red Cross has emphasized that maintaining adequate blood inventories is critical to supporting emergency care, surgical services, and ongoing treatment for patients with chronic medical conditions.
Donor Needs and Eligibility: How to Help
The American Red Cross is encouraging donations from individuals with all blood types, with particular need for type O, A-negative, B-negative, and platelets, which are frequently used in emergency, trauma, and oncology care.
In general, blood donors must:
- Be at least 17 years old (16 in some states with parental consent)
- Weigh at least 110 pounds
- Be in good general health
Donations can be scheduled through RedCrossBlood.org, the Blood Donor App, or by calling 1-800-RED-CROSS.
To support donation efforts, the Red Cross is offering a $20 e-gift card to eligible donors who give blood between January 26 and February 28, 2026.
The Role of Nurses
Nurses play a critical role during periods of blood shortage by monitoring patients for transfusion needs, supporting clinical decision-making, and helping implement conservation strategies when necessary. Nurses are also frequently trusted sources of health information within their communities and healthcare teams.
By sharing accurate information about blood donation eligibility and the importance of maintaining adequate blood supplies, nurses can help raise awareness and encourage participation in donation efforts during critical shortages. Because blood availability can differ by region, nurses should follow their hospital’s specific transfusion and conservation protocols in addition to national Red Cross guidance.
What Comes Next
With winter weather continuing in many regions and seasonal respiratory illness activity remaining elevated, blood supply challenges may persist in the coming weeks. Healthcare leaders and blood collection organizations continue to closely monitor inventory levels and encourage community participation in donation efforts.
Maintaining a stable blood supply remains essential to patient safety and the delivery of timely care across healthcare settings, particularly for patients who rely on blood products for emergency treatment, surgery, and ongoing medical care. For nurses, staying informed and sharing accurate donation information remains an important part of supporting patient safety during ongoing shortages.
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