Donating blood- is it safe ?

Nurses General Nursing

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Well I have been interested in donating blood for quite some time, I have heard some people needing ab+ for a while although our teacher said if you're ab you can get any blood.

I am just concerned about the safety though, is it safe to donate blood nowadays (as opposed to the 90s)?

Thanks.

Specializes in CVICU.

Strangely, when she tried to notify the NMDP (National Marrow Donor Program) to take her off their list she was told that she was still eligible to donate bone marrow. What's the logic in that?!

DeLana

I am also on the bone marrow registry, and they didn't mind my trip to Argentina at all!

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yep guys thanks, it is the technician reusing stuff that would make bad things happen in terms of donating blood. we've heard of the nurse who reused tube and possibly infected a lot of people w/ hiv.

will donate this weekend after my classes. thanks and have a nice day

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yep guys thanks, it is the technician reusing stuff that would make bad things happen in terms of donating blood. we've heard of the nurse who reused tube and possibly infected a lot of people w/ hiv.

will donate this weekend after my classes. thanks and have a nice day

Anything like that wouldn't happen at a non-profit blood bank (Red Cross or AABB/community blood bank), but I sure wouldn't trust any for-profit plasma mills (they pay their "donors", which tells you all you need to know).

Good luck to you, donating blood is a generous thing to do (if they let you ;)).

DeLana

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I think some of the guidelines are a bit much, but then again, I guess it's better safe than sorry.

Yeah. I spent a year on the bench a while back after I had an allograft ACL replacement. Recently I stopped in to donate and a "regular," Earle, who had not been there for a while walked in with me. The nurse said "Earle!! Haven't seen you for a while - What'd you do - get a tattoo??"

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Specializes in ED.
What a crock.

Well, enjoy your moral high horse while the patients go without blood then. DO you think you are punishing RC? Do you think that your protest is noticed?

I fully support the practise that people at high risk of HIV are excluded from donating blood. That is not discriminatory, it's smart. Can you show me where the Red Cross "insist[ed] an otherwise healthy individual will infect the blood supply with HIV"? I believe people who travelled to certain areas at certain times, heterosexuals with certain histories... etc etc are also excluded. They don't all have HIV, but they are certainly at higher risk. I'd rather we didn't take that risk.

Obviously you are the only one with any sense while we ignorant sheep continue to donate.

Jeez.

Again, good to see the old durable ace guilt-trip about someone personally causing patients to die. Maybe those patients wouldn't die if agencies like the Red Cross used a more accurate screening tool which would allow more eligible people to donate. My stance is based out of principle, not malice, I could care less if the Red Cross notices my protest. However, I do know plenty of people who stopped donating them for the reasons I have presented, and they certainly notice when their pocketbook gets lighter. I've already provided an example of an otherwise perfectly health person being barred from giving blood for no good reason. I'm glad to see people openly support such policies, it reinforces my low opinion of human nature. I never called anyone a "sheep" nor did I imply that people who donate blood are sheep, but I understand that it makes you feel better to throw out your "sheeple" defense.

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Specializes in ED.
Depravity? Get a grip.

Of course the Red Cross sells the platelets I donate. How do you think they pay for all the buildings, machines, and staff to draw and transport the stuff?

Any organization that has been around since 1881 is certainly going to have made progress in every single aspect of being - social, medical, ethical, racial, scientific. Do you have any evidence at all that the Red Cross is carrying on bad practices from the 1890's, 1920's, 1940's...?

The nurses I have had stick me over the past 20 years have been competent and caring. The instructors I had for my Red Cross CNA class and CPR/AED classes have been as well. The reactions of the entire Twin Cities Red Cross staff, including myself and my classmates, when the 35W bridge collapsed a few hundred yards away during my CNA class have been lauded worldwide.

Your portrayal of the Red Cross is at odds with everything from my personal experience and with freely available evidence.

Sigh. Sometimes I forget how much the nature of internet boards brings out the tinfoil hat crowd.

The organization still operates to make a profit; a profit is made over the operating costs (ie. paying for those machines). I have already provided evidence and specific examples of Red Cross discrimination against blacks (http://www.redstone.army.mil/history/integrate/CHRON3.html), jews and gays. I'm not going through examples decade by decade. Despite your "compelling" anecdotal evidence, the Red Cross has a prior and current record of using systematic discrimination policies, even when they are contrary to current medical evidence. I'm not a conspiracy theorist because I'm stating facts that people don't like to consider, even though I know it makes you feel better to consider me one.

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Thank you for letting us know that companies back in the 1940's descriminated against different races. Are you for real? I refuse to believe you're not trolling.

You wrote so much in your posts, yet you have actually said so little. Before you make another awesome assumption about the Red Cross and my being brain washed; I'm not even from your country. I've never dealt with the Red Cross.

For the record, you most definitely are creating a conspiracy. Mountain out of a molehill.

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Specializes in Community, OB, Nursery.

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why would they bar jews from giving blood? that doesnt even make sense. its just a religion

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Where I agree that the risk of becoming infected with anything by donating blood is low, that doesn't necessarily mean it's a good idea. When you donate blood, they usually use a size 16 or 17 gauge needle. Many greedy "non-profit" companies use minimally trained technicians to stick you with this needle. They get away with this because there is no catheter, so technically they are drawing blood and not inserting an IV. Further, the blood donation guidelines are draconian and archaic. The village woman of bath can donate as much blood as she wants, but a gay person who has had one episode of protected anal sex once in his life and has had 50 negative HIV tests since cannot donate blood. I don't know about you, but I wouldn't want an organization that ignorant on the issue medical science coming anywhere near my body with a needle. We all heard about the nurse who reused equipment down in Florida. That was an RN, so there is a lot to think about before letting a technician who works for a scientifically-ignorant organization stick you with something. Plus, you are type AB, so your blood is not in high demand. Just something to think about.

If more people had your line of thought, I would be dead. when I was little during one of my surgeries I needed blood, then when i was 17 I needed 3 units in the OR, spent a day in the icu with the et tube still down my throat then had another unit when i got moved to the floor. so i hope people do not read your post and decide not to donate.

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What a crock.

Well, enjoy your moral high horse while the patients go without blood then. DO you think you are punishing RC? Do you think that your protest is noticed?

I fully support the practise that people at high risk of HIV are excluded from donating blood. That is not discriminatory, it's smart. Can you show me where the Red Cross "insist[ed] an otherwise healthy individual will infect the blood supply with HIV"? I believe people who travelled to certain areas at certain times, heterosexuals with certain histories... etc etc are also excluded. They don't all have HIV, but they are certainly at higher risk. I'd rather we didn't take that risk.

Obviously you are the only one with any sense while we ignorant sheep continue to donate.

Jeez.

As a blood recipient, I agree. I would rather the blood supply be a little smaller then risk ME GETTING HIV FROM A LIFE SAVING PROCEDURE. it would then be counter productive!

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