Blood Donation

Who are Potential Donors
Those of sound mind and body and willing to share the gift of life with the following criteria:

The Collection
A. Before Blood Donation

• You will be asked to fill up a Donor's Form upon arrival at the Blood Bank. Please present a valid ID.
• Your weight, blood pressure, pulse rate and temperature will be checked.
• A trained professional staff will ask questions regarding your health history.
• A trained professional staff will give pre-donation education and counseling.
• A physician will examine you.
• A small sample of your blood will be taken to check your blood type and hemoglobin and or hematocrit level.
• Screening and selection procedure will usually take 15-20 minutes.
• You are encouraged to give accurate data for your safety and that of the patient. All information gathered will be treated with utmost confidentiality.

B. During Blood Donation
• You will be asked to lie down on a bed for blood collection done by a skilled medical technologist or nurse.
• The amount of blood that will be taken will never exceed 450 ml.
• This will take another10-15 minutes.

C. After Blood Donation
• You will be advised to rest for 10 more minutes to allow your body to readjust. Do not leave until the Blood Bank staff releases you.
• You will be given a beverage and/or a simple snack.
• You will be advised to drink more fluids during the next 24 hours especially in the next 4 hours.
• You may eat again after an hour but you should not over eat. No special foods are necessary.
• Do not smoke for at least half an hour.
• It is better not to have any alcohol until you've eaten.
• You may resume all normal activities after about half an hour if you feel well. For machine operators you may resume work only after at least 6 hours.
• Avoid overexertion or strenuous exercise on the day of donation. You may feel somewhat tired and sleepy for the rest of the day.
• Keep the bandage on your arm for at least 3 hours but not more than 24 hours and keep it dry. The skin on the site of the needle puncture may become discolored. This is due to the leakage of 2–3 drops of blood from the punctured vein. It is not dangerous and will disappear after several days.
• If there is bleeding from the phlebotomy site raise the arm and apply pressure.
• If you feel faint or dizzy, either lie down and raise your legs or sit down with your head between your knees.
• If any symptoms persist, see a doctor.

Facts and Myths about Blood Donation
• “I don’t have enough blood to spare”
An average adult has 5-6 liters of blood. Doctors agree that a healthy individual may donate 450 cc of blood four times a year.
• “I'm scared about giving blood”
Everybody feels like this for the first time, but really there's nothing to it. In fact there are hundreds of donors who have given forty to seventy donations.
You don't have to be a superman or superwoman.
• “I hate needles”
To ensure that the donation procedure is less painful, only trained personnel are allowed to collect blood.
• “Oh, but I'm anemic”
It is a part of the donation process that each donor is subjected to hemoglobin testing as well as other physical examination. This is to make sure that blood is not taken from people who are not physically fit.
• “It might make me weak”
Your body has commenced replacing the blood you have given by the time you are released by the blood bank personnel. The volume of blood given is replaced within 3-5 hours.
• “I might catch AIDS by giving blood”
Blood donors cannot catch AIDS or any other infectious disease for that matter. All materials used are sterile and are disposable.
• “I'll only give in an emergency”
Emergencies happen every minute of every day. For the patient requiring blood transfusion it is an emergency. A patient may die if blood is not available.
• “I'm common, blood type “O”. You
wouldn't want my blood”
Every type of blood is important. Group “O” is the most common type that is why it is also the most needed. Remember, the rarest blood type is the one that is not available when you need it.
• “It's too inconvenient and I'm busy”
The Medical City Blood Bank and Transfusion Services tries to make it as convenient as possible to donate. The Mobile unit may visit offices, factories and schools. Even the busiest people can make time to give blood. When you stop to think
of all the good your blood can do, we believe you might decide you are not too busy after all to spare less than four hours each year.
• “I gave blood abroad and was paid for it.”
Here blood donors are regarded as unique gift and a priceless natural resource. In other places blood has become a marketable commodity and experience in these places indicates that the payment of donors and the consequent sale of blood to patients have resulted in enormous heath risks. Every unit of blood is given voluntarily by a donor. The donor is not paid. The recipient has to pay only for the laboratory testing fees and materials. BLOOD is FREE.
• “The Truth”
Human blood for transfusion is the only form of treatment that cannot be manufactured by pharmaceutical companies. It can only come from kindhearted voluntary blood donors. These people care enough to share their most precious blood and time in order to save another person's life. Blood is a valuable human resource, and so far, incomparable.

Reference:
American Association of Blood Banks
Technical Manual 14th Edition

Note: This information is not intended to be used as a substitute for professional medical advise, diagnosis or treatment.   If you or someone you know have any of the symptoms mentioned above, it is advisable to seek professional help.

At The Medical City we have a complete roster of competent medical technologists who may be of help regarding blood donation. For further inquiries, please call:

BLOOD BANK
Tel. No. (632) 988-1000 / (632) 988-7000 Ext. 6128/6129

CENTER FOR PATIENT PARTNERSHIP
Tel. No. (632) 988-1000 / (632) 988-7000 Ext. 6444