How to become a blood donor, and most importantly - why

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

Is it dangerous to donate blood, how is this procedure carried out and how much you can earn on this business.

Why donate blood

Then that she is needed.

Blood is transfused not only in case of injuries, when a person loses his own. Donated blood is needed for many operations, for cancer patients and newborns.

In order for all patients to have enough donated blood, 40 donors are needed for every 1,000 inhabitants.

If from this very 1,000 inhabitants we exclude children, the elderly and, in general, everyone who cannot donate blood for medical reasons, it will turn out that almost every healthy person should become a donor.

Someone thinks that only dysfunctional individuals for the sake of cash payments are in the line for donation. Someone thinks that donors are trying to "scratch the PCV". This is not important, because the recipients (people who urgently need blood) do not care at all what purpose - good or not - the donor came to the transfusion station for. No matter how pretentious it may sound.

Who can become a donor

A donor can be a citizen over 18 years old, who weighs more than 50 kg and who has no contraindications.

Who cannot be a donor

People who are sick (or were sick before) will never be able to donate blood:

1. HIV infection.
2. Hepatitis.
3. Oncological diseases.
4. Diseases of the blood.

After some procedures and diseases, you cannot be a donor temporarily.

What's happened	When can you be a donor
SARS, flu or colds	After 1 month
Removal of a tooth	After 10 days
Graft	Depends on vaccination. The withdrawal period is from 10 days to 1 year.
Taking antibiotics	After 1 month
Tattoo, piercing	After 1 year
Acupuncture treatment	After 1 year
Pregnancy and childbirth	After 1 year
Lactation	3 months after discontinuation
Menstruation	In 5 days

Is it dangerous to be a donor

No. 450 ml of blood is taken from the donor and a little more for analysis (up to 50 ml). Considering that about five liters of blood are constantly circulating in our body, then such a loss not only does not harm health, but also has a slight stimulating effect.

But all this is about donors who weigh more than 50 kg. If your mass is less, then the blood volume is less, which means that donation will no longer be safe.

Of course, everyone has different reactions to the procedure, someone may feel bad. Therefore, donors are constantly asked how they feel: no one needs a person to lose consciousness from the blood donation. And that is why the donor can take a break from work on the day of donation and after it.

And in terms of transmission of infections, it is safe to be a donor. At the transfusion stations, only disposable instruments are used, all procedures are carried out so that the donor cannot contract HIV or hepatitis.

How to prepare to donate blood

Before the procedure, the donor must follow a diet for at least a day: nothing fatty, fried, smoked and spicy, no chocolate or dairy products.

Three days before donating blood, you should not drink pain relievers and aspirin. Alcohol should be completely eliminated in two days.

On the day of donating blood, you must definitely have breakfast with porridge on the water and drink tea.

Do not smoke an hour before the blood supply. Nothing special is required.

What to take with you

From the documents - a passport. If you are registered in another city, then a registration certificate: you need to live in the city for at least a year to become a donor. If you are registered in the area, bring a certificate of the epidemiological environment.

The donor buffet does not work everywhere. Just in case, take with you a thermos with warm strong and sweet tea and a high-calorie bun to refresh yourself immediately after donation.

How is donation going?

Before donation, the donor undergoes several checks.

1. Registration and filling out the questionnaire. Find out if a person can donate blood at all and if there are any contraindications.
2. Medical examination. This is necessary so that a person with discomfort does not become a donor.
3. Blood test. They check the main indicators that speak about the health of the donor.

Only those donors who have passed all filters donate blood.

The procedure itself takes a minimum of time: you wash your hands and elbows, sit in a chair, follow the instructions of the medical staff (that is, clench and relax your fist on command) - and that's it.

One injection, 15 minutes - and you are a donor.

It does not hurt. There are more needles for donation than for a regular blood test, but personnel at transfusion stations are able to enter a vein with their eyes closed.

How to proceed after donation

It is best not to rush anywhere right after donation, drink strong sweet tea and have a nutritious snack to come to your senses even at the transfusion station. If your head starts spinning, there will be doctors nearby who will return you to normal.

With all the safety, donation is stressful, so you can't put additional stress on yourself for a few more days. This means that feats at work, training and the load on the immune system must be excluded. Get some rest, sleep, eat well, and stay out of crowded places.

It will take about three days to recover. Do not donate blood before exams, interviews and important matters: you will need to come to your senses.

What the donor gets

Donation can be paid or gratuitous.

Payments to donors depend on what procedure you choose (you can donate blood, plasma, platelets), what kind of blood you have (they pay a little more for a rare group) and on the subsistence level (it is on this that the compensation is calculated). All this needs to be clarified already at the transfusion station in your region.

Even if you donate blood for free, you will have compensation.

Compensation is either a hot meal or its value in monetary terms. In our city, they compensate with money. Then we buy pastry cakes for the entire editorial office with donor donations.

If you want to become an honorary donor, then you need to donate blood and components only free of charge (40 times blood or 60 times plasma).

In addition, the donor receives two days off: on the day of donation and the day after. They can be used directly or added to a vacation.

And a bonus - a blood test for dangerous infections: HIV, hepatitis, syphilis. It can be picked up at the transfusion station after a few days.

What can be taken

In addition to blood, the donor can donate plasma.

When we donate whole blood, 450 ml is simply taken from us, and then it is processed as needed. When donating plasma, only the liquid part of the blood is taken, and the solids are returned back. Plasmapheresis lasts about 40 minutes, you need to make an appointment in advance and bring additional certificates once or twice a year.

Novice donors donate only whole blood.

After two or three full blood deliveries, you can switch to plasma.

How often can you donate blood?

Plasmapheresis is easier to tolerate, so plasma can be donated more often than blood: every two weeks. After the blood supply, you can go to donate plasma in a month.