A blood supplier ships 3 units of pooled cryoprecipitate. Each pool consists of 5 units of cryoprecipitate. If one unit is thawed at 5:00 p.m., when must it be dispensed from the blood bank?

When cryoprecipitate is thawed, it must be used within a specific time frame to ensure its safety and efficacy. Typically, once thawed, cryoprecipitate must be transfused or dispensed within 4 to 6 hours if stored properly at controlled room temperatures.

For the scenario where a unit is thawed at 5:00 p.m., if we consider the maximum allowable time frame of 6 hours, the unit must be dispensed by 11:00 p.m. However, since guidelines generally suggest aiming for a time that allows for immediate transfusion and to minimize risks, it is prudent to set a cutoff time earlier than the absolute limit.

Thus, to comply with safety standards and best practices, it's appropriate to aim for dispensing the thawed cryoprecipitate before 9:00 p.m. This gives ample time for any transfusion-related procedures to take place while still remaining within safe parameters post-thawing. Therefore, the answer is that the unit must be dispensed before 9:00 p.m.