LPN job at plasma center?

PedsAtHeart, LPN · May 12, 2008

usually they are phlebotomist, guess an LPN would do the same job as they do.

CHATSDALE · May 12, 2008

they usually have a licensed nurse so that if a patient shows signs of distress

i knew a nurse who did this a long time ago..i didn't think that they were allowed to buy blood anymore..i know that he went on an rv to the prisons and collect the blood and the prisoners got their cigarette and person item money this way

they also had a clinic that they used for walk-ins

Balder_LPN, LPN · May 12, 2008

They also do screening on the donor (checking v/s on donor's whose vitals were not in paramenters when checked by unlicensed personel when they came in) or pt teaching if protein levels are to low etc

Blackcat99 · May 13, 2008

Thanks all. I think I will apply for this job. I'm so tired of overtime at the assisted living facility.:wink2:

way2busy · May 17, 2008

Hi I am a plasma nurse. There seem to be few of us willing to step into this field. I was a hospital LPN for 30 years and then worked in acute care and needed a real change and took this job. If you are independent and highly motivated with good clincial skills you will excell at this job. You will be resposible for creating and maintaining a clean plasma pool with your physical exams. I have never worked where quality is high and they work very hard to maintained that. Plasma is needed for numerous medications and you can be proud to work for the company. You wil have to change your thinking because you are working for manufacturing , but it is nice to work in and environment with good pay and they appreciate me. Also we get very generous bouses each quarter! We are called Physician subs but you will always have a local physican to call and we have the corporate one if he is not available. This industry is highly regulated much more so than a hospital or nursing home. You will have FDA audits, corporate audits German and French audits. We are watched monthly in each area that we work in but it has made me a much better nurse. I hope that you go for it I am glad that I did. However the hours are still long. They cannot operate without a nurse on site. So lots of overtime. :heartbeat:typing

Blackcat99 · May 18, 2008

Thanks way2busy. :up: I would sure like to try it out. I put in my application so I hope to hear from them soon.

pagandeva2000, LPN · May 18, 2008

This sounds interesting...I may even look into this in New York.

nursemaggy · Sep 9, 2008

well you can cross train to phlebotomy or the screening area i actually recogmend it so you know how the whole process works they pay well you are the first person the donor has any extended time with so you need to be a people person

yes it is very highly regulated and you need to be very ethical

you tend to donor reactions which can be as mild as being dizzy from not drinking enough fluids or not eating before the procedure to tetany from lack of calcium in the blood due to the anticoagulant some centers use is citrate based and may bind to calcium if the person doesnt have enough it can call muscle cramps / spasms

the most serious reaction would be air embolism but the machines monitor for that so closely it is not likely to ever ever happen becuse they are very sensitive and if someone eats greesy pizza and ben and jerries before coming in the machine will go nuts cause all the lipids in the plasma

anyway the "physical" may contain such things as a long health questionaire, vital signs, diping a urine for sugar or protien or even drugs you inspect the skin for signs of drug use mostly or obvious signs of disease that the donor may have lied about you ask about tattoos and how recent they are and catalog all tattoos cause there is a waiting period after receiving one till you can donate because the chance of hepatitis or aids

you may check reflexes or palpate the abdomen for signs of tenderness or enlarged liver and spleen also it gives you a chance to look for surgical scars the donor may have lied about

it is kinda like a choose your own adventure book

if they have this they cant donate if this they can

or if they have this but it isnt too bad and their personal dr says it is ok they can donate etc

hope this helps

oh you also may look in the eyes or ears you check their mouth / throat for signs of redness / infection you are basically just making sure they are healthy and try to weed out liers

people either like the job or they dont i liked it

nursemaggy · Sep 9, 2008

they usually have a licensed nurse so that if a patient shows signs of distress
i knew a nurse who did this a long time ago..i didn't think that they were allowed to buy blood anymore..i know that he went on an rv to the prisons and collect the blood and the prisoners got their cigarette and person item money this way
they also had a clinic that they used for walk-ins

they dont buy blood or even plasma they offer a fee to you for your time

it takes about an hour for the actual donation process and once a year you have to do a quick "phisical" there which takes about thirty minute to fourty five

but no you cant sell blood anymore cause it is now considered and organ but plasma is not whole blood also splitting hairs but it is legal

and inmates are not allowed to donate as far as i know you have to be out of prison for at least one year before you are eligable to donate because hepatitis is rampant in prision and it can take six months to a year before it will show up on the test they run on the plasma to make sure it is safe to make medicine with that goes into other people

they freeze the plasma for like a year also before they use it to make sure the donor doesnt pop positive during that time also if they only dontate once the plasma cant be used they have to donate at least twice every six months if they miss a test called a spe they may have to take a physical again spe stands fore serum protein electropheresis