January is National Blood Donor Month, an excellent reminder that giving blood is a simple and safe way to make a massive difference in the lives of others.
The four steps of blood donation
You can prepare for donating blood by knowing what happens before, during, and after you donate. Local blood banks may have different requirements, but in most states, to be eligible, you need to be 16 years or older to donate blood and be at least 17 to donate platelets. Also, you need to weigh at least 110 pounds and be healthy and feeling well. Once all these requirements are met, the process goes as follows:
Registration
You will have to go through registration and will go over basic eligibility. Then, a staff member will ask you to show an ID, and you’ll read some information about donating blood. Finally, you will be asked for your complete address to receive medical results in your mail. The lab will run your blood through various tests to ensure that there is nothing in your blood that could be harmful to the recipient of your blood.
Medical history and physical examination
Then, you will answer a few questions about your health history and places you’ve traveled; this information will be private and confidential. Knowing where you have traveled recently is vital because certain countries could have germs that could be fatal if passed to someone whose body isn’t familiar with that germ. You will also be asked about any prescription or over-the-counter medications that you have taken and might be in your system; a nurse will check your temperature, blood pressure, pulse, and hemoglobin level.
Donation
Donation of platelets uses an apheresis machine. It is connected to both arms. If you’re donating blood, they will clean an area on your arm to insert a new and sterile needle for the blood draw; it is like a quick pinch and is over in seconds.
A complete blood donation takes about ten minutes. First, they will collect approximately a pint of blood, then you are done, and a nurse will place a bandage on your arm.
For platelets, the apheresis machine collects a small dose of blood, withdraws the platelets, and puts the rest of the blood back through your other arm. This cycle will repeat for up to 2 hours.
Refreshments and recovery
After donating blood, you will be given a snack and a beverage in the refreshment area. After about fifteen minutes, you will leave and continue your everyday routine. You can take a selfie or share your good deed with friends on social media, as it might inspire them to become blood donors and enjoy the feeling of accomplishment.
Registration
You will have to go through registration and will go over basic eligibility. Then, a staff member will ask you to show an ID, and you’ll read some information about donating blood. Finally, you will be asked for your complete address to receive medical results in your mail. The lab will run your blood through various tests to ensure that there is nothing in your blood that could be harmful to the recipient of your blood.
Medical history and physical examination
Then, you will answer a few questions about your health history and places you’ve traveled; this information will be private and confidential. Knowing where you have traveled recently is vital because certain countries could have germs that could be fatal if passed to someone whose body isn’t familiar with that germ. You will also be asked about any prescription or over-the-counter medications that you have taken and might be in your system; a nurse will check your temperature, blood pressure, pulse, and hemoglobin level.
Donation
Donation of platelets uses an apheresis machine. It is connected to both arms. If you’re donating blood, they will clean an area on your arm to insert a new and sterile needle for the blood draw; it is like a quick pinch and is over in seconds.
A complete blood donation takes about ten minutes. First, they will collect approximately a pint of blood, then you are done, and a nurse will place a bandage on your arm.
For platelets, the apheresis machine collects a small dose of blood, withdraws the platelets, and puts the rest of the blood back through your other arm. This cycle will repeat for up to 2 hours.
Refreshments and recovery
After donating blood, you will be given a snack and a beverage in the refreshment area. After about fifteen minutes, you will leave and continue your everyday routine. You can take a selfie or share your good deed with friends on social media, as it might inspire them to become blood donors and enjoy the feeling of accomplishment.
What happens after the donation?
The blood is kept on ice before being taken to a blood bank center for processing. At the same time, your test tubes arrive at a testing laboratory, where they get tested for blood type and search for infectious diseases. Once the results are received, the blood units suitable for transfusion are labeled and stored. The blood is distributed, and once it is in hospitals, it is ready to save lives.
Benefits of blood donation
Blood donation is not dangerous; it is a simple and safe procedure with some potential benefits for people who regularly donate, such as:
At Signature Health Services, we are proud of all the registered nurses and licensed therapists essential to the blood donation process, as they almost entirely conduct it. So please, donate if you are eligible and as much as possible so that we can save a patient’s life.
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