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)
Specializes in Hem/Onc, LTC, AL, Homecare, Mgmt, Psych.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
PetiteOpRN
326 Posts
I get cut/stuck/exposed often enough that I am rarely, if ever, able to donate.