Donors Have Asked...

Why should I give blood?

Giving blood helps you to feel good about yourself, and helps ensure your health and the health of family, friends and co-workers. If enough people give blood regularly, there will always be blood available when someone who is sick or injured goes to the hospital. If not enough blood is given, there will be shortages, and people who need it will have to face alternative options.

Giving blood regularly allows you to monitor your health. Each time you donate, your temperature, pulse, and blood pressure are taken and eight tests for transmissible diseases are done on your blood. Any irregularities in any test are reported to you by mail or by phone.

Why does Red Cross ask so many personal questions?

The Red Cross needs healthy donors. Most people choose to donate because they want to share their healthy blood with someone who needs it. Some potential donors, however, may have been exposed to diseases which could affect their blood donation. Specifically, some people can be at high risk for exposure to HIV (the virus which causes AIDS) without realizing it. The Red Cross asks lifestyle and behavior questions prior to donation so individuals are prevented from donating.

Wouldn't most people lie about their past behavior?

The safety of any donation begins with the donor providing honest answers to health screening questions. Most donors answer truthfully, but there are additional safeguards in the process to ensure that blood that is positive for HIV or another transmissible disease is destroyed. The health history questions make donors think carefully about their behavior prior to donating blood.

Why do frequent donors have to answer the same questions over and over again? Why can't they fill out shorter forms?

The Red Cross has found that the safety of the blood supply is increased by asking these questions each time a donor gives blood. A donor's health situation can change during the eight weeks between donations. To ensure that the blood supply is as safe as possible, the Red Cross must re-ask the donor questions.

Why does it take so long to donate?

We have worked hard to make the donation process as convenient as we can for our donors. We use historical information and other data to try and predict the number of donors we expect to see at each location each day, and then we try to schedule the correct number of staff.

However, some blood drives attract more donors than expected, some donors arrive at a time other than their scheduled time, sometimes staff are ill, or there can be a problem with an individual donor that takes longer. All of these things can lead to an extra-long wait. The American Red Cross is developing methods that will reduce the time it takes to give blood.

I heard the Red Cross is no longer going to use RNs and LPNs to collect blood? Is this true?

All blood is collected under the guidance of RNs. RNs are present at all blood collection operations. All American Red Cross staff who are responsible for drawing blood must successfully complete a stringent Red Cross training program. Staff are certified only after they demonstrate their competency  in the skills necessary to serve donors. The approximate eight-week training program is conducted by certified Red Cross trainers and approved by the Food and Drug Administration and satisfies all legal requirements of states in which the Badger-Hawkeye Region operates.

Why do I sometimes see staff sitting around when there are donors waiting?

During every blood drive, the collection staff is responsible for completing administrative paperwork. Because the blood donation process is highly regulated by both the FDA and the Red Cross, this must be done within a specified time frame. For example, blood must be sent back to the laboratory for processing within a few hours of being collected, and all paperwork associated with each shipment must be reviewed by a second person at the collection site.

Also, just as in any work environment, our staff members are allotted breaks and a lunch period during their shift. The well-being of each donor must be our top priority; these breaks help to keep staff refreshed as they perform their complicated and important work in collecting the gift of life from our donors. We try to schedule these breaks at times during the day when fewer donors are expected, but this is sometimes difficult to predict.

Why should I give blood to the Red Cross when I can get paid for selling my plasma?

The American Red Cross, a non-profit organization governed by volunteers, collects whole blood from unpaid volunteer blood donors only. Our philosophy is that it is the responsibility of healthy people in a community to make blood available for those who need it. Your blood is separated into transfusable components and distributed to hospitals.

A for-profit plasma center pays people for their plasma. The plasma is made into blood derivatives or sold to another for-profit company for the same purpose. Those derivatives are then sold in countries throughout the world that will pay the highest price.

The requirements for a plasma seller are different than those for whole blood donors. You should check on those differences before committing to participate.