Blood Donation FAQ's
The process for whole blood donation usually takes about an hour. The blood collection itself is usually about 10 minutes. The donation process includes registration, a brief medical screening, blood collection and refreshments.
Whole blood and apheresis (platelet) donations are about one pint. One pint is roughly equal to one pound.
You are eligible to donate whole blood every 56 days. Red blood cells are the oxygen carrying cells. They can take two weeks or longer to fully return to normal.
Double Red Cell donations are eligible every 112 days.
To donate platelets (apheresis donation) you would be eligible every 28 days. Platelet and plasma components will return to normal levels within a few hours of donating. Plasma, the watery substance of your blood, takes a couple of days.
Using an automated procedure we can collect two units of red cells from a donor using apheresis. Red cells are separated from the platelets and plasma while the donor is being drawn. This procedure results in two units of red cells drawn from one donor. The total volume lost to the donor is slightly less than the volume removed during a whole blood donation because saline, platelets and plasma are returned to the donor. This procedure takes about 20 minutes longer than whole blood donation so we prefer scheduling donors by appointment. Each donation also gives the donor two donations towards the next gallon mark and the donor also is eligible to donate every 112 days.
Platelets are tiny cell fragments that circulate throughout the blood and aid in blood clotting. Platelets are also known as thrombocytes.
Apheresis is a special kind of donation that allows a donor to give specific blood components, like platelets. This allows more of one blood component to be collected and the rest returned to the donor. For example, one apheresis donation contains 6-8 times more platelets than one whole blood donation. This process allows us to better match the donation to the needs of our patients.
Woman have about ten pints, and men about 12 pints of blood in their bodies.
The minimum age in 16 in Iowa, Nebraska and South Dakota. Parental consent is required for donors under 17. There is no upper age limit.
Yes. Donating blood is 100% safe. You cannot get HIV or any other infectious disease from dontating blood.
Yes. The blood supply is the safest it has ever been especially since the implementation of Nucleic Acid Technology (NAT) testing. NAT is a new, more sensitive gene-based test to screen the blood supply for HIV, West Nile Virus and Hepatitic C. Fourteen tests are performed on every unit of donated blood.
General safety procedures are also in place: blood donor eligibility standards, individual screening of the donor, laboratory testing, and donor record checks.
Type O negative is the universal donor and can give blood to any other blood type. 8% of the U.S. population has blood type O negative.
AB positive is the universal recipient and can receive blood from any other blood type. 2.5% of the U.S. population has blood type AB positive.
All blood donations are processed and available for use between 24 and 48 hours. Whole blood is processed into components (red cells, platelets and plasma). After processing, the red cells can be stored for 42 days. Plasma can be frozen and stored for up to 12 months. Platelest (from whole blood or by apheresis) are stored for 5 days.
Yes. Screening questions must be asked of all donors at each donation. This is an FDA requirement that helps blood centers ensure the safest possible blood supply.
Siouxland Community Blood Bank is a volunteer donor supported organization. We do not pay for blood donations. Per FDA restrictions volunteer blood donors cannot be paid for donations. Studies show that volunteer donors provide a safer blood supply.
A three-day supply is the optimum blood inventory level. The inventory changes hourly due to unpredictable demands from trauma incidents. When the supply drops below a three day level, blood centers begin alerting local donors to increase the inventory to a safe operating level.
No. The Siouxland Community Blood Bank is a member of America's Blood Centers (ABC), an international network of community-based blood banks. ABC members collect over half of the U.S. blood supply. ABC is the largest provider of blood products and services.
Siouxland Community Blood Bank is the exclusive provider of blood and blood products to 37 Siouxland area hospitals. Blood donated to other organizations is not used in any of these hospitals.
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