Interesting morning....

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So I got up this morning to go donate plasma for the first time. I figured, hey I'll get some cash while I study for A&P II, and I am interested in the process. (We just got done with blood) Anyway, has anyone ever been straight up scared in the center? The front room looked like a jail waiting room......People with gold teeth, missing teeth, 5 inch nails, 350 pound women eating McDonald's, scary looking men. It's in a really BAD part of town. Then I signed in and waited like 45 minutes for anyone to even acknowledge my existence. When I get called, the phlebotomist asked for my social security card (didn't bring it). Great. 45 minutes in a very uncomfortable place. The should have said something to me when I signed in. There was a lady standing right next to the sign in sheet and didn't even look at me or say hi. They should have at least had a sign up or something. They sure did make sure to have a sign up explaining the payments for each donation though!

I don't know maybe I'm just so used to customer service from working in a restaurant for so long, but it IS a darn business!

I worked at a Plasma donation center for three months when I was an EMT. I did physicals on new donors, yes they pay, and yes the place looks like a jail, because usually its poor people that are donating, they are the ones that need the money... The thing is, a person can donate plasma twice a week, but can donate blood only every 120 days. Plasma rebuilds faster.

Its interesting what they do with the plasma. Some places use human plasma for make-up, and others use it to make drugs. Grifols, where I worked used it to make Immune Globulin, Albumin (Human) and the tested donors for Tetorifice titer and hepB titers, they can make immunizations from these donors.

In the end it was a dirty facility that didn't seem to adhere to their own rules and I wasn't comfortable working there, I don't think I would have been comfortable donating either.

I know this is really dumb but are you saying you can donate just plasma, not whole blood? Or just that they draw whole blood but only use the plasma? What do they do with the rest of the blood? :uhoh3: :confused:

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I know this is really dumb but are you saying you can donate just plasma, not whole blood? Or just that they draw whole blood but only use the plasma? What do they do with the rest of the blood? :uhoh3: :confused:

They return the rest back to your body.

I also did this once while broke and in nursing school. Dirty, nasty looking people in the waiting room. Staff was incredibly rude. It took me four hours from the time I signed in until they took me in a back room for my physical (and I had an appointment!). I had to pee in a cup and they decided my urine was too dark (it looked fine to me, probably a little concentrated from sitting in there all day with nothing to drink, lol) and turned me down! I was furious!

I ended up going back some time later (I was broke, like I said) and drank lots of water before hand. They deemed my pee light enough and I finally donated. Never went back though. I'd be scared of catching some disease from that horrible place... :eek:

I do *donate* whole blood, however. Not as much as I should, because I always feel like crap the rest of the day. But at least the center where you don't get paid for it is clean, and the staff is friendly!

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Specializes in Medsurg/ICU, Mental Health, Home Health.
Some places use human plasma for make-up

Come again?

I just hurled a little. Please tell me Clinique doesn't use it! :eek:

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Specializes in NICU. L&D, PP, Nursery.
I worked at a Plasma donation center for three months when I was an EMT. I did physicals on new donors, yes they pay, and yes the place looks like a jail, because usually its poor people that are donating, they are the ones that need the money... The thing is, a person can donate plasma twice a week, but can donate blood only every 120 days. Plasma rebuilds faster.

Its interesting what they do with the plasma. Some places use human plasma for make-up, and others use it to make drugs. Grifols, where I worked used it to make Immune Globulin, Albumin (Human) and the tested donors for Tetorifice titer and hepB titers, they can make immunizations from these donors.

In the end it was a dirty facility that didn't seem to adhere to their own rules and I wasn't comfortable working there, I don't think I would have been comfortable donating either.

"They can make immunizations from these donors." Please tell me more about that.

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Specializes in Med/Surg.
I know this is really dumb but are you saying you can donate just plasma, not whole blood? Or just that they draw whole blood but only use the plasma? What do they do with the rest of the blood? :uhoh3: :confused:

The rest is reinfused back in to the donor, which is why you can give plasma so often; it doesn't affect your hemoglobin.

They pay plasma donors in my area too; I believe it is 20 bucks per time. You can go either 2 or 3 times per week and donate. For me, I'd rather donate whole blood for free....my blood type is O negative, so it's always needed!

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Can anyone tell me how you could catch a disease from donating plasma?

I have my own thoughts on this but would like to hear what others have to say.

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Can anyone tell me how you could catch a disease from donating plasma?

I have my own thoughts on this but would like to hear what others have to say.

My fear came from the general uncleanliness of the place I went to.

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Specializes in Pulmonary, Cardiac.
"They can make immunizations from these donors." Please tell me more about that.

here is a link to Biolife Plasma services and how they use their plasma donations. In short, if a persons plasma has a high enough say..tetorifice antibody titer they can make vaccines from it.

http://www.biolifeplasma.com/html/plasma_derived_products/how_it_is_used.html

some other cool stuff

http://www.talecrisplasma.com/2.2.0_therapies.aspx

http://www.fda.gov/BiologicsBloodVaccines/GuidanceComplianceRegulatoryInformation/Guidances/Blood/ucm077102.htm

read appendix A, human plasma derived biological products and virus clearance. These section from the FDA will explain how the manufacturing of these products are regulated.

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The front room looked like a jail waiting room......People with gold teeth, missing teeth, 5 inch nails, 350 pound women eating McDonald's, scary looking men.

i wonder if those with missing teeth, had sold their gold ones?

sorry, but i just really got a kick out of the visuals.

thanks for the chuckle.:lol2:

leslie

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i wonder if those with missing teeth, had sold their gold ones?

sorry, but i just really got a kick out of the visuals.

thanks for the chuckle.:lol2:

leslie

Could be. LOL:lol2:

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