Poll: 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!

[sharpeimom]

i donated as often as i could for years and was signed up to be a bone marrow donor if needed. i just have plain old a+ blood like my dad had, but an uncle has ab- type blood and he has donated regularly for decades and his blood was shipped hither and yon prn. when he had to have emergency surgery after he had an accident, the only way they had an adequate blood supply was because he had just donated that morning before going to work. our entire family is aware of the need for blood donations.

[EDjunkie]

I donate as often as possible. You never know when the life you could be saving could be your own or your a family member or friend.

[anticoagulationurse]

I would like to donate but lived in Italy as a child between the years they specify on the forms which for some silly reason (Mad cow disease? You'd think I would know if I had THAT by now!) makes me ineligible.

[Lunah, MSN, RN]

Like anticoagulationurse, I lived in western Europe (Italy, then Germany) during the "mad cow years," from 1982 until 1992, so my lovely A- blood is somehow potentially made unusable by Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease. I was quite upset to find out that I can't even be an organ donor -- not even corneas or tissue or bone! Eh, I'm tainted. Although any lucky recipient of my skin would inherit some nice tattoos.

Unfortunately the only way to rule out Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease is by examining the brain during autopsy. Um ... no thanks.

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

I would like to donate blood. However, I am ineligible because I answered affirmatively when asked about ever having shared living quarters with someone who had hepatitis. My mother and father both have had hepatitis C for many years, and although I haven't lived with them for 7 years, the particular blood bank does not want me to donate because I once lived with people who had HCV infection.

[luvyluvy]

Yes I donate as often as I am allowed, my husband and daughter have also began donating with my coaxing, both have O+ blood type. On my last donation I learned that a person who has obtained a tattoo in a licensed shop can now donate. This was not allowed for up to one year after receiving a tattoo prior to March 2010 I believe.

[Lunah, MSN, RN]

It depends on the state where you were tattooed. As long as it's a state in which the profession of tattooing is regulated, then you're good to go. It's been that way for a few years now. (My husband is a tattoo artist in a regulated state, which is why I know this.)

[jnrsmommy]

Like anticoagulationurse, I lived in western Europe (Italy, then Germany) during the "mad cow years," from 1982 until 1992, so my lovely A- blood is somehow potentially made unusable by Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. I was quite upset to find out that I can't even be an organ donor -- not even corneas or tissue or bone! Eh, I'm tainted. Although any lucky recipient of my skin would inherit some nice tattoos.

Unfortunately the only way to rule out Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease is by examining the brain during autopsy. Um ... no thanks.

I too can't donate d/t living in Germany when I was a kid. However, I did call the national organ registry b/c I was curious about being an organ donor. I was told it did not bar one from donating, just that they would tell the potential recipient, then it was up to them to decide if they wanted the organ.

On a side note, I have two kids. I'm more likely to go crazy from them than mad cow They should ask if you have any kids on the forms...lol:redbeathe

[okiedokie123]

Donate whenever possible.

[C_perugiae]

I've been told not to; both times I've donated blood, I've passed out afterward. I tried to donate plasma, too, and ended up sick and "out of it" for the rest of the day. After the second blood donation, I was told not to try it anymore.

[dandk1997RN, MSN, RN]

I *attempt* several times a year. Typically, my HH is too low, but I try anyway- sometimes I get lucky! I'm taking extra iron right now to prep for a drive coming up in about two weeks.