Giving Blood is easy and saves lives (National Blood Services (NBS))

Member Name: ukboltonboy

Product:	National Blood Services (NBS)
Date:	05/11/09 (27 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: good thing to do, helps others

Disadvantages: none

To start with I should say that everyone who can should give blood. It is easy to do and helps to save lives.

Getting started - the best thing to do would be to go on www.blood.co.uk to register and book an appointment near where you live/work. On your first blood donation you are given a lot more detailed information to ensure you are a suitable donor and explaining the process. Once you have donated a few times, the information pack is much smaller.

Process - the way it works is you first fill a form in (which they send you in advance) with questions about where you have travelled and other questions designed to see if you can give blood. At the session, you see a nurse first who will go through the form with you and then pricks your finger (doesn't hurt) to test a drop of your blood in some liquid (I think this is testing for iron). If the blood drop sinks in the liquid you are ok to give blood.

The next stage involves lying on a bed with your sleeve up and the nurse inserts the needle which is no more painful than a normal blood test. The tube is attached to a bag which holds the blood. You don't actually see the blood enter the bag as it is strategically placed out of the way. You give a pint of blood in total. Once you finish, you rest on the bed for a few minutes and then move to a different room where tea/coffee and cold drinks are provided and a biscuit. From there you are on your way. The nurses are very helpful and hygiene is at the forefront with various wipes and gels used throughout. The whole process is really well organised and you do feel valued as a donor.

I think that more people should give blood because it only hurts for a split second and giving that pint could help to save someones life.

Summary: Give Blood!!