Do you donate blood?

[pna2388]

Hi, I am a rising 4th year nursing student doing a project for a statistics class and am designing an experiment to see if there is a correlation between being a nurse and donating blood. I would really appreciate any responses to the poll! Also, feel free to leave comments, especially if you are ineligible to donate, I would be interested to know why. Thanks! (I posted this in the poll threads but only got a few responses, so I figured I would try it here)

[PetiteOpRN]

I get cut/stuck/exposed often enough that I am rarely, if ever, able to donate.

[pielęgniarka, RN]

I donate blood whenever I can. My kid had cancer many years ago and needed multiple transfusions. To return the favor whenever I can is the least I can do. I sent in blood for typing with a the bone marrow registry as well (past 8 years) but haven't gotten called in. For me it would be a dream to be able to be a matching donor and help someone with their BMT.

[jenn_nurse]

I donate regularly. I try to go every 8-10 weeks. Sometimes I am deferred for low hemoglobin, but if I remember to load up on iron rich foods in the week before I go I am OK. I have also been deferred for: an irregular heartbeat (side effect of medication I didn't notice I was having until they felt the skipped beats), recent vaccination post human bite (that was a 1 year deferral, although they don't routinely ask about humn bites), and because I have dated men who have sex with men. The American Red Cross changed the guidelines so that a woman who has had sex with a MSM can doate after 1 year. This is the one that annoys me the most, as I know what my safer sex practices are, the frequency with which I have STD testing, and the recent STD results of a partner. I was a person who donated before I ever became a nurse, so I know that being a nurse didn't contribute to my donating blood, although my comfort with donating blood may have had something to do with the personality traits that also led me into nursing.

[SaraO'Hara]

No - permanent deferral. I lived in Germany during the Mad Cow scare.

[BluegrassRN]

Lived in Europe during Mad Cow. Can't donate.

[pfongk]

Haven't donated recently, I've recently given birth and had to have the anti-D shots so I don't know when I'll be able to donate again. I have had problems as well with hypotension. So long as I fluid load though I'm fine.

[Chattybox]

I used too but I don't anymore. I just get too sick afterwards.

[RNperdiem, RN]

No. underweight.

[emnicams]

I used to, but I get so sick afterward that I finally stopped. The last time, I spent the rest of the day lying down on the couch, because anytime I tried to get up, I almost fainted. Not fun.

I donated for years without issue, so it's strange.

[Nicole2010]

I use to donate blood, until my median nerve was hit during a donation. Luckily I was on vacation because I couldn't use my arm for 2 weeks with the pain, tingling, and feeling like my hand was in ice water all the time. Now, I still have periodic pain and tingling. I just can't take the risk.

[sunnycalifRN]

I donate platelets and plasma (apheresis). I used to donate blood regularly but they wanted my platelets and plasma more! 131 donations and counting.

[MrWarmHearted]

No. It is against Bible principles (Acts 15:28-29). Of course, we all want the best treatments possible - and although common, blood transfusions, are NOT the gold standard. Blood banks can NOT guarantee safety - why would anyone knowingly put themselves at risk? Additionally, there are blood alternatives now that are more safe and cost-effective.