What You Need to Know About Giving Blood
Shannon King, Charity Director
There are many ways to be charitable. You may donate your old clothing or other items, give money, give of your time, or you may quite literally give of yourself. Donating blood isn’t just a donation, but a gift of life. Every two seconds, someone in the United States needs blood and nearly 25% of us will need a blood transfusion at one point in our lives.
Donating blood is a quick and easy process. It’s mostly painless, hurting less than a shot and afterwards you get a cookie and some juice. That’s not so bad considering you are literally saving lives. Right? Each one-pint donation can be used to save three people! No need to worry about the pint of blood you gave away. Your body is continuously making more.
Who is eligible to give? When you go in to make your donation, someone will sit and talk with you. They will ask you many questions. Donors may be turned away for many reasons, but there are standard eligibility requirements. Donors must be at least 17 years old (in most states), healthy, and weigh at least 110lbs. Expect to be turned away if you are running a fever, have flu like symptoms, have low hemoglobin levels, or have low blood pressure. If you have recently traveled to or live in countries with risk of malaria, HIV, hepatitis, or mad cow disease you may be asked to come back at a later date. Someone who has recently received a new tattoo will need to wait at least a year.
Most people feel a little squeamish about going in to have blood drawn. The American Red Cross offers tips for a successful donation. Following these tips before and after your donation can help your experience to be as pleasant and successful as possible.
Before Your Donation
- Maintain a healthy iron level in your diet by eating iron rich foods, such as red meat, fish, poultry, beans, spinach, iron-fortified cereals and raisins.
- Get a good night’s sleep.
- Drink an extra 16 oz. of water or nonalcoholic fluids before the donation.
- Eat a healthy meal before your donation. Avoid fatty foods, such as hamburgers, fries, or ice cream before donating. (Fatty foods can affect the tests we do on your blood. If there is too much fat in your blood, your donation cannot be tested for infectious diseases and the blood will not be used for transfusion.)
- If you are a platelet donor, remember that your system must be free of aspirin for two days prior to donation.
- Remember to bring your donor card, driver’s license or two other forms of ID.
During Your Donation
- Wear clothing with sleeves that can be raised above the elbow.
- Let the person taking your blood know if you have a preferred arm and show them any good veins that have been used successfully in the past to draw blood.
- Relax, listen to music, talk to other donors, or read during the donation process.
- Take the time to enjoy a snack and a drink in the refreshments area immediately after donating.
After Your Donation
- Drink an extra four (8 ounce) glasses of liquids and avoid alcohol over the next 24 hours.
- Keep the strip bandage on for the next several hours.
- To avoid a skin rash, clean the area around the strip bandage with soap and water.
- Do not do any heavy lifting or vigorous exercise for the rest of the day.
- If the needle site starts to bleed, apply pressure to it and raise your arm straight up for about 5-10 minutes or until bleeding stops.
- If you experience dizziness or lightheadedness after donation, stop what you are doing and sit down or lie down until you feel better. Avoid performing any activity where fainting may lead to injury for at least 24 hours.
There is a constant need for blood and your contribution is extremely important. Medical teams around the globe need a healthy and reliable blood supply. Thank you for your donation. Giving blood is the most precious gift that you can give because what you are really giving is life.
