Why does it say in my Nursing book, "...blood or body fluid..."? What is blood if it is not a body fluid?

The intended meaning was probably "blood and other body fluids", but they just worded the text in a confusing way.

In exactly what context is this statement made in your textbook? If the author is referring to, say, Universal Precautions re: Exposure to "blood or body fluid", they are referring to direct contact with a patient's blood, or any other fluids/substances produced by the human body (i.e.: Sputum, mucous, urine, stool, synovial fluid, aqueous or vitreous humour, vaginal secretions, semen, pus/purulent drainage, serous exudate, CSF, saliva). Blood is, indeed, a tissue in the body. However, the distinction is often made simply in the wording of the statement. For some reason, individuals may think that contact with bodily fluids *other than* blood is somehow inherantly "safer" than contact with blood. Well, it isn't... You will want to avoid direct contact with any of these substances, particularly contact with mucous membranes, or non-intact skin, as they all harbor the potential for transmitting infection.

Blood is a liquid tissue, not a body fluid. The liquid portion of blood, plasma, may be converted to serum when it is separated from the clotting factors and cellular components of blood. ADD...a fluid is amorphous. Red and white blood cells, and platelets are all morphous components of blood. Only the plasma is fluid, thus, whole blood is not a fluid.

You're absolutely right, blood is a fluid which deserves a discussion all unto itself. I imagine that the section you were reading was in the context of proper handling of various, potentially hazardous materials. Technically speaking, blood consists of not just pure fluid but a lot of different particles, but in the context of your book, it was likely to emphasize that blood or any OTHER bodily fluid should be handled in a specific manner.

It is a body fluid the text is just worded a little confusingly. They are trying to imply that you might be seeing something other than just blood.

Blood is a connective tissue so i dunno how much it classifies as a body fluid even though i thought it was a body fluid too