Donating blood- can you give an hour of your life to save others?? (Member Advice On Blood Donation)

Member Name: karlsm93

Product:	Member Advice On Blood Donation
Date:	07/05/09 (291 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Positive, worthwhile way to help others, with little inconvenience

Disadvantages: Some are scared of needles, there are certain restrictions.

This review is actually based on the Northern Ireland Blood Transfusion Service (NIBTS) which carry out blood donation sessions all over Northern Ireland. I am sure however, that is is no different from the rest of the UK in terms of how it operates.

I gave blood for the first time 8 years ago, after I broke up with a boyfriend. It may seem a rather strange time to start donating blood, however, after the relationships had ended, I felt I needed to do something positive and worthwhile.

When the NIBTS come to town, they bombard lamp posts, community noticeboards etc with posters advertising the dates and times of the sessions, and where they are held (very often in a local church hall), so there was no excuse for me not knowing when and where to go. The sessions, in my town are usually over the course of two consecutive days, and offer two time slots: 2pm to 4pm and another from 5.15pm to 8pm. The evening ones are usually much busier, hardly surprisingly. I can only assume that a similar system is in place in the rest of the UK, although times probably do vary, so it this needs to be checked. However, after you have given blood for the first time, and are then on the bloog transfusion service database, you will be sent a letter in the week prior to a session taking place in your local town, informing you of dates, times and venue, as well as providing you with a form, that you will have to fill out when you arrive at each session, simply to speed up the process.

There are some stipulations about who can and can't give blood, and how often this can be done:
*You must be fit and well, and weigh over 7 stone 12 pounds.
*You must be over the age of 17 (the upper age limit for first time donors is 66, but if you have donated before, you can continue donating until your 70th)
*You must have an adequate blood count (a haemoglobin test is carried out before any blood is taken)

If you meet this requirements you will generally be able to donate, however there are certain circumstances that can prevent you from giving blood permanently or for a short period of time. These include:
* If you have a history of blood transfusion
* Tattoos, body piercings, ear piercing or acupuncture in the last 12 months(this can lead to a 12 month exclusion on giving blood)
* Foreign travel (exclusions usually only relate to those who have visited or lived outside Western Europe, North America, Australia or New Zealand- however sometimes extra exclusions can apply to some of the these listed areas - but you will be asked about travel at the session)
* CJD in the family
* If you have recently undergone or are awaiting surgery, bone or tissue grafts, or treated with a growth hormone before 1987.
*Pregnancy or recent childbirth (follows a 9 month exclusion understandably)

There are other circumstances that can restrict you from giving blood and these centre around you health on the day, medication, drug use, homosexual sexual contact, hepatitis etc.

On arrival at the session, you will be asked to complete a questionnaire that concerns all of the above. You can complete this questionniare before hand, as it is on the back of the letter you received through the post in advance, inviting you to a session. However, I usually leave it to the day itself, since the last few questions focus on you heatlh that day. You must also sign the declaration at the bottom of the questionnaire, consenting to the service testing your donation for any infections such as HIV.

The questionnaire is given to you by one of the receptionist who man the database. After your first donation, you will be given a 'donor book', which you should try and bring to each session. The receptionists can then scan this and bring up all your details such as address, DOB, which they will ask you to confirm. Your book will also be signed and marked with the date after each session, allowing you to keep a check on when your previous visits were, and also giving you little targets to reach.

For example, after your first session, you are given a little badge, with the blood transfusion service symbol of the pelican, along with you donor book. After 15 donations, you receive a littel certificate to stick into your book, after 25, you receive a silver badge, after 40, you get a ruby certificate and after 50, you are eligible for a gold certificate.

You will also be given a number card, placing you in a queue to see the nurse/doctor, who will ensure you are eligible to donate, by checking over your form for any problems that may exclude you from a donation. A haemoglobin test is then carried out, which involves pricking you finger, and taking a sample of blood, which is then tested to ensure your iron levels are high enough for you to give blood that day. This is done by dropping a sample of your blood into some copper sulphate. If it sinks to the bottom, you can then procede to give blood, if it doesn't, a further sample can be taken. If this fails your sample can be sent away to be checked, and you will be excluded from donating that day. I have only been excluded via this test once, and was told that this was probably due to the session coinciding with my monthly period.

As a first time donor (or those who have not donating for over 2 years) you will be required to meet a medical officer or nurse who will ensure you are eligible to donate and explain the procedure to you.

Once you are eligible to donate, you then wait until your number is called and then a nurse will guide you to a bed, where you can recline. You can opt to donate blood from either arm, but it is usually from the one you write with. A pressure cuff is then placed around your upper arm, making the veins more prominent. The area is then cleaned with antiseptic. A more senior nurse will then be called over to insert the needle, attached to the blood bag, into your arm.

I freely admit, that this was the part that terrified me. It is not that I was scared of needles, because I simply never look at it, but I was more afraid of the pain. Well, I have to allay a lot of fears when I say that it is nore sore. You usually feel a slight prick as it is inserted into your vein, and sometimes a slight uncomfortableness for the duration of the donation, but nothing to make you scream with pain. I have not got a good pain threshold, and although it isn't my favourite part of the procedure (the insertion fo the needle), the whole thing is over in a flash, and with the nurse trained to make small talk, the time flies, and you forget that there is something stuck into you arm.

During the donation, you are usually asked to open and close your hand, and are often given a little squeezy toy to turn around in your hand, keeping the blood flowing smoothly and consistently. If nothing else, it is something to focus on.

The donation itself usually lasts no more than 10 minutes, some may take less or more time to fill their bag, with donors giving 470ml of blood (around a pint) at each session.

When the donation if complete, the needle is then carefullyl removed, and a dressing is placed over the arm. As the donor, you will be asked to hold dressing firmly down on the spot where the needle was inserted for several minutes, with your fingers, keeping you arm straight, to help prevent bruising. A further dressing is then applied, and you are asked to relax and rest for a few minutes on the bed.

When you feel ready, you can procede to a tea area, where you are offered free tea/coffee/orange, as well as plenty of biscuits. You are encouraged to drink up to replace the lost fluids. You are usually recommended to rest for approx 15 minutes, before leaving the session, to ensure you are feeling well. I have only ever felt unwell once after a session, and it was when I returned home. For the remainder of the evening, I felt a little light headed every time I got up to do anything, but by drinking and eating plenty, it didn't last for too long, and was perfectly fine later that night.

After donation, the blood is then taken to be filtered, removing the white blood cells and then spinning it in such a way as to separate it into red cells, platelets and plasmas. Most of these red cells are used in blood transfusions in hospitals.

This may sound like you will have lost your entire evening, which is not true, unless you hit an extremely busy time, where you may have to wait a little longer to see the nurse. All in all, the entire session will probably only take an hour, assuming you are fit and well and eligible to donate.
In Northern Ireland, it is approx 94% of the population, who could donate, but don't. I find this hard to take in. My motivation now for giving blood, and what drives me to go to every session (you can donate up to 3 times a year -every 16 weeks to be precise) is the fact that someday, someone I love may require blood and if or when that days comes, I will be extremely glad that someone had been kind and willing enough to give up their time to donate a little of their blood, to help others.

I realise that there are many who are scared or needles, or faint at the mere sight of blood, but there are many out there who have little or no phobias about needles, and simply don't. It makes me feel rather proud to be a blood donor, and it is a valuable and free way of helping save the lives of others, with little hindrance to myself.

For those who have never given, or have lapsed in their donations over the years, I would encourage you to take the time to think of those you will be helping by giving up half an hour of your time one evening to simply donate some of your blood, should you be eligible, and it is often those who fit the most popular blood group (O-) that are needed.

Summary: a great way to help save the lives of others without any cost