For a casualty receiving resuscitation, which product may be administered alone?

In the context of resuscitation, plasma can be administered alone because it plays a crucial role in maintaining blood volume and providing essential clotting factors. Plasma is the liquid component of blood that carries cells, nutrients, hormones, and proteins throughout the body. During resuscitation, especially in traumatic injuries where rapid volume replacement is necessary, administering plasma can help prevent coagulopathy and support hemostasis without needing red blood cells or platelets immediately.

It’s important to consider that while other blood components, such as red blood cells and platelets, are vital in managing specific aspects of trauma care and resuscitation, they are typically not used alone in acute settings. Red blood cells are primarily focused on restoring oxygen-carrying capacity, while platelets are critical for clotting. Therefore, the independent use of plasma is justified in certain situations, particularly when addressing coagulopathy or when immediate transfusion support is needed to stabilize a patient before more comprehensive resuscitative efforts involving all components of blood can be initiated.