Donate Blood - Become a Hero

[tnbutterfly - Mary]

Since 1970, National Blood Donor Month has been observed in January to not only honor blood and platelet donors, but also to help increase donations during the winter months.

Blood is traditionally in short supply during the winter months due to the holidays, travel schedules, inclement weather and illness. January, in particular, is a difficult month for blood centers to collect blood donations. A reduction in turnout can put our nation's blood inventory at a critical low. As nurses, we see the life-saving effects of blood or blood products for critically ill patients.

As one blood donor said,

Quote

It only takes once sitting in a hospital, praying that your loved one will live through the day, to know how thankful you are for every single thing done to help them," she said. "Donating blood is a simple gift that I can make that may help up to three people live another day. That makes me feel like a hero.

Stop and take one to two hours out of your life to donate blood. Be a hero and give the gift of life today.

[mrsjonesRN]

Since 1970, National Blood Donor Month has been observed in January to not only honor blood and platelet donors, but also to help increase donations during the winter months.

Blood is traditionally in short supply during the winter months due to the holidays, travel schedules, inclement weather and illness. January, in particular, is a difficult month for blood centers to collect blood donations. A reduction in turnout can put our nation's blood inventory at a critical low. As nurses, we see the life-saving effects of blood or blood products for critically ill patients.

As one blood donor said,

Stop and take one to two hours out of your life to donate blood. Be a hero and give the gift of life today.

Awesome post!

[Tenebrae, BSN, RN]

I donate plasma every 2-3 weeks. Just hit my 25th donation. My aim is to get to 50 by next xmas

[CBlover, BSN, RN]

i used to donate blood regularly, until i started working in healthcare and saw how much of it is wasted on geriatrics trying to cheat death for another few years of existing and sucking up resources in a nursing home.

I'm sorry but that's sounds awfully cold blooded. No wonder you're a robot nurse!! Lol

[NOADLS]

Donating blood takes up precious time and involves some level of discomfort for a few minutes.

I could never see myself donating blood; however, if I were compen$ated fairly....

[calivianya, BSN, RN]

I have given blood exactly once, and the way I felt for the next three days has prevented me from ever doing it again. I wish I felt okay after doing it, because I felt really good about it and glad to be donating while I was in there. I was tired, nauseated, and dizzy when I stood up afterwards, and I got exactly nothing accomplished the rest of the week. I think I'd have to take a week of PTO to donate blood...

[Farawyn]

Donating blood takes up precious time and involves some level of discomfort for a few minutes.

I could never see myself donating blood; however, if I were compen$ated fairly....

No discomfort.

Just a little prick.

[Farawyn]

I have given blood exactly once, and the way I felt for the next three days has prevented me from ever doing it again. I wish I felt okay after doing it, because I felt really good about it and glad to be donating while I was in there. I was tired, nauseated, and dizzy when I stood up afterwards, and I got exactly nothing accomplished the rest of the week. I think I'd have to take a week of PTO to donate blood...

I had a few kids pass out last blood drive. It's usually the 17 year old boys.

[whichone'spink, BSN, RN]

This, and the chronic alcoholics that have destroyed their liver or come in with GI bleeds. I used to feel bad every time I was now allowed to donate blood, due to not meeting the weight requirement (there was a time I was under 120 lbs, which is my goal weight now), or at the time of wanting to donate taking antibiotics for an ear infection. Now I don't care to donate blood. Besides, during traumas, it's type O blood that is needed, and I am not type O.

[Lunah, MSN, RN]

Unfortunately I grew up in Europe during the "mad cow years" and I cannot donate in the United States. While deployed to Afghanistan I was not excluded from the whole blood donor pool, interestingly enough!

I salute those of you who can and do donate! Your gifts are appreciated!

[Farawyn]

This and the chronic alcoholics that have destroyed their liver or come in with GI bleeds. I used to feel bad every time I was now allowed to donate blood, due to not meeting the weight requirement (there was a time I was under 120 lbs, which is my goal weight now), or at the time of wanting to donate taking antibiotics for an ear infection. Now I don't care to donate blood. Besides, during traumas, it's type O blood that is needed, and I am not type O.[/quote']

It's not like the Blood Centers are tackling healthy young people, corralling them, and siphoning their blood off to give to undeserving drunks or people who dare live past a certain age.

It's voluntary. In many work places you get an extra paid day off for a certain amount of donations, so you are "compensated."

And you usually don't know to whom your blood is going. Could be a chronic alkie, could be a 16 year old kid who got into a major car crash.

[Rose_Queen, BSN, MSN, RN]

Besides during traumas, it's type O blood that is needed, and I am not type O.[/quote']

Only for those who need blood before a type and cross can be done. Once we know the type, we'll give type specific rather than O neg, so it's not just O blood that is needed for traumas.

As for the rest, well, no one knows where the blood goes when they donate it. Yours could have gone to a patient you would find "deserving".

[AnnieOaklyRN, BSN, RN, EMT-P]

No discomfort.

Just a little prick.

You're a nurse so you deal with pricks all the time! What's one more?

Annie