Content

• To step
• Part 1 of 2: Preparing yourself for a blood donation
• Part 2 of 2: Donating blood
• Tips

The availability of good quality blood is of great importance in modern medicine. Human blood cannot be made artificially and must therefore be collected from voluntary donors. However, many people find it scary to donate blood for a variety of reasons. For example, they are afraid that it will hurt or that by donating blood they will contract an illness. Donating blood is safe because many precautions are taken, so there is no reason to fear donating blood. The biggest risks with donating blood are minor side effects such as dizziness, fainting, or bruising. By following a few simple steps you can prepare yourself the best you can when donating blood.

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Part 1 of 2: Preparing yourself for a blood donation

1. Check your eligibility. Eligibility requirements to donate blood at a blood bank or blood donor center vary by country. Those requirements can range from diseases that can infect your blood to your travel history, age and weight. In general, you will be allowed to donate blood if you meet certain criteria.
   • You must be healthy and fit and you must not have any disease among the members at the time of donating. Do not donate blood if you have a cold, a cold sore, a cough, a viral infection, or an upset stomach. Even if you take certain medications that are only available with a doctor's prescription, you may not be able to donate blood.
   • You must weigh at least 50 pounds.
   • You must be old enough. In the Netherlands you must be between 18 and 70 years old to be able to donate blood, but other rules may apply abroad. If you want to donate blood outside the Netherlands, ask a local blood bank about your age.
   • You can only donate blood once every 56 days. If you donated blood less than 56 days ago, you will not be eligible again as a donor.
   • Do not donate blood if you have had a simple dental treatment in the last 24 hours or a more invasive dental treatment in the last month. Dental procedures generally put you at a higher risk of mobilizing bacteria. Those bacteria can enter the bloodstream and cause system infection.
2. Make an appointment. Blood donor centers can be found in many different places in many countries. Because these centers need time to prepare you for blood donation, you must first make an appointment. That way, you also have the time to ensure that you meet all the requirements for that specific date.
   • If you prefer not to make an appointment, you can also wait for a call to donate blood. In the United States, so-called "blood drives" are held, calling on people to donate blood at a specific location, or it may be that acute blood is needed for a specific emergency.
3. Eat foods rich in iron. Because your body requires iron for blood production, you should start eating iron-rich foods two weeks before your appointment. That way you will have stronger blood to donate and recover faster afterwards. Examples of foods rich in iron are spinach, whole grains, fish, chicken, beans, organ meats, eggs and beef.
   • By maintaining the level of vitamin C in your blood, you also ensure that you absorb the iron better. Therefore, take citrus fruit, fruit juices or vitamin C supplements.
4. Make sure you drink enough. To prepare your body for the blood loss, drink plenty of water or fruit juice the evening and morning before you donate. The main cause of fainting and dizziness when you start donating blood is a drop in your blood pressure or blood sugar. The risk of this is greatly reduced if you make sure you are well hydrated when you report to the blood bank.
   • It is recommended to drink plenty of fluids during the 24 hours prior to the time of donation, especially when it is hot. This includes drinking four large glasses of water or juice during the last three hours before donating.
   • If you are going to donate plasma or platelets, drink four to six glasses of one-quart fluid, two to three hours before the time of your appointment.
5. Get a good night's sleep the night before the donation. Before donating blood, make sure you get a good night's sleep. As a result, you will feel better and more alert while donating your blood, which greatly reduces the chance that you will experience unpleasant side effects during or after donating.
   • This means getting a good, complete night's sleep (seven to nine hours of sleep for adults) before donating blood.
6. Eat three hours prior to donation. Never donate blood on an empty stomach. Eating will keep your blood sugar level stable, which will make you feel better after donating. The presence of food in your system helps to keep you from passing out or getting lightheaded. You need to eat something healthy that makes you feel full without getting too full or bloated.
   • Do not eat a heavy meal before donating. If you are going to donate early in the morning, eat some cereal or toast. If you are going to donate blood around noon, have a light lunch, such as a sandwich and some fruit.
   • Don't eat right before your appointment or you risk getting nauseous while donating.
   • Avoid fatty foods during the last 24 hours prior to donation. An increased fat percentage in your bloodstream can make it impossible to obtain precise results during the mandatory control tests performed on the blood you donated. If the blood bank is unable to complete all the tests, they will have to throw your donation away.
7. Make sure you have the correct ID with you. The requirements vary per blood donor center, but you will always need to have at least one valid ID with you before your visit. You can usually identify yourself with, for example, your driver's license, your blood donor pass, or two alternative identification documents, such as your passport or identity card. Make sure you have these documents with you on the day of your appointment.
   • A blood donor pass is a card that you receive from the blood donor center where you are enrolled in the system. You can also apply for a blood donor pass over the Internet, visit the center and ask for it, or you can ask for it when you first donate so you can take it with you on your next donation visits.
8. Avoid certain activities. In the hours leading up to your appointment, you should avoid certain activities that could stop you from donating blood or contaminate your blood. You should not smoke for the last hour before your appointment and you should also avoid alcohol for the last 24 hours prior to the donation. Also, do not chew gum or suck on mints or other candies during the last hours before your donation.
   • Chewing gum or sucking on mints or candies causes the temperature in your mouth to rise, which can make you feel like you have a fever that would make you ineligible to donate blood.
   • In addition, if you are donating platelets, make sure that you do not take aspirins or other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in the last two days before you start donating.

Part 2 of 2: Donating blood

1. Fill in the forms. When you report at the time of your appointment, you will need to answer a long list of questions about your overall health to begin with, and you will likely also need to fill out a confidential form with your medical history. The types of questions you will be asked may vary depending on where you are, but be prepared that if you are currently on one or more medications, you will at least have to provide their name or names , in addition to the names of all the travel destinations you have visited in the past 3 years.
   • United Blood Services is regulated by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The center must adhere to regulations set by the FDA. Their guidelines focus on public safety, and if they believe that a certain type of behavior, disease, or drug poses a risk of contamination or transmission of a disease, the affected person will be asked not to donate blood . These guidelines are not intended to discriminate against anyone.
   • Certain activities increase the risk of diseases in your blood and if you practice one or more of those activities, you will be questioned about it. This includes injecting drugs, certain sexual activities, the use of certain drugs, and living in certain countries. If you answer yes to one or more of those questions, you will not be allowed to donate blood.
   • There are also certain diseases, such as hepatitis, HIV, AIDS, and Chagas disease, that make it impossible for the wearer to ever donate blood.
   • Answer all questions you receive honestly. The person you are questioning may elaborate on sensitive topics, but it is important that you are honest so that the center can find out if they can use your blood.
2. Have the physical exam. After you have completed all parts of the questionnaire, you will have to undergo a brief physical examination. This usually means that a nurse will measure your blood pressure and pulse and take your body temperature. He or she will then give you a small prick on your finger to check the hemoglobin and iron levels in your blood.
   • Your blood pressure, pulse, temperature, hemoglobin and iron levels must fall within a certain range before you can give blood. This will guarantee that your blood is healthy and will prevent you from feeling nauseous or faint.
3. Prepare yourself mentally for the donation. Many people who are going to donate blood are afraid of needles or do not like to be punctured with a needle. You can distract yourself or prepare yourself for what is going to happen so that you will have less trouble with it. Take a deep breath before inserting the needle into your arm. You can also prick yourself in the arm that you are not going to use to give blood to divert your attention from the other arm.
   • Don't try to hold your breath. If you do that, you could pass out.
   • You can be sure that most people will feel little or no pain, most of the time they will only feel a small prick. The biggest problem is the discomfort, so the less tense you are, the better.
4. Have the nurse take your blood. After you have undergone the physical examination, the nurse or nurse will ask you to lean back in a recliner or to lie completely flat. A band will be tied around your arm to make your veins more visible and to make your blood pump faster. The nurse or nurse will disinfect the inside of your elbow, because that is where the needle will be punctured. He or she then puts the needle in your arm, which is attached to a long tube. The nurse or nurse will ask you to pump your hand a few times and your blood will come out.
   • The nurse will first take a few vials of blood for testing and then your blood will fill the bag. You usually give about half a liter of blood at a time.
   • This procedure normally takes 10 minutes to 15 minutes.
5. Relax. Nervousness can also cause your blood pressure to drop and make you feel dizzy. Talking to the person who is drawing your blood will likely make you feel better. Ask him or her to explain everything that is happening to you.
   • Look for ways to distract yourself, such as singing a song, saying a line, predicting the end of a book you're reading or a TV show you're following, listening to your phone or MP3 player, or just think about the worthy end result of your donation.
6. Rest and recover. Once you have finished giving blood and the nurse will bandage your arm, he or she will ask you to sit up and wait 15 minutes to avoid passing out or dizzy. You will also be given something to eat and some juice to replenish the water levels and blood sugars in your body. The nurse will also recommend that you avoid certain things for the rest of the day and continue to drink a lot for the 48 hours after the donation.
   • For the rest of the day you should not lift heavy things and you should exercise intensively or do other strenuous things.
   • If you feel lightheaded later in the day, lie down with your feet in the air.
   • Leave the dressing on for four or five hours after the donation. If a large bruise becomes visible, apply a cold compress to the site of the injection. If it hurts, take an over-the-counter pain reliever pain reliever.
   • If you feel sick for extended periods after donating, contact your doctor to make sure everything is okay.

Tips

• Bring a large bottle of orange juice. Orange juice gives you a quick dose of energy if you have just released blood.
• Lie flat while donating. That way, you'll help lower your blood pressure and keep you from feeling lightheaded, especially if it's your first time donating.
• Once you know the procedure, ask if you could also donate platelets. Donating platelets takes longer but you will keep your red blood cells. Platelets ensure that your blood clots and are a product of vital importance for the treatment of seriously ill patients.
• If you feel like you are going to pass out, tell the medical staff. They will help you lie back in the chair in a reclining position. If you are no longer at the donation center, put your head between your knees to get more blood flowing to your head, or lie down and raise your legs if possible. Try to avoid this by taking enough time in the clinic to rest and energize your body with the juice and snack that you will be offered afterwards.