What Happens During a Typical Blood Donation?

Your blood flow with many steps and tests ensures that our blood supply is as safe as possible and helps as many people as possible.

Step one

The Donation

You get to the point where you are nominated for a blood donation.
Health history with a slim body is complete.
With a complete blood donation, about a liter of blood is collected; Several small blood test tubes are also collected for testing.
Your donation, test tubes and donor record are marked with the same bar code label.
Your donation is stored on ice before being taken to a Red Cross facility for processing; test tubes go to the laboratory.

Step two

The Donation

Most blood donations are twisted centrifuge to separate components that can be dispensed: red cells, platelets, and plasma.

Plasma can be processed into components such as cryoprecipitate, which helps control the risk of bleeding by helping the blood to coagulate.

Red cells and platelets are reduced by leuko, which means that your white cells are removed to reduce the likelihood of a recipient having a blood transfusion.
Each component is labeled as a “unit,” a limited number of physicians who will administer blood transfusions.

Step Three

Testing

As with step 2, your test tubes reach the test laboratory.
Twelve tests were performed, blood tests, and tests for infectious diseases. Learn More About Tests.
The test results are transmitted electronically to the processing center within 24 hours.
If the test results agree, your donation will be rejected and notified (our test results are confidential and only shared with the donor, unless required by law).

Step Four

Storage

When test results are obtained, units appropriate for blood transfusion are labeled and stored.
Red cells are stored in the refrigerator at 6ºC for up to 42 days.
Platelets are stored at room temperature for agitators for up to five days.
Plasma and cryo are frozen and stored for up to one year.

Step Five

Distribution

Blood is available for hospitalization 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Hospitals usually keep certain blood components in their shelves, but they can cost more at any time, such as in an emergency.

Step Six

Transfusion

A sick or injured patient arrives at the hospital or treatment center.
Doctors decide whether a patient needs a transfusion and, if so, what type.
Blood transfusions are given to patients in a variety of situations, including serious injuries (such as car crashes), surgery, childbirth, anemia, blood disorders, cancer treatment, and many more. See How Blood Donation Helps.
A patient with iron deficiency or anemia can get red blood cells to increase their hemoglobin and iron levels, improving oxygen levels in the body.
Patients who are unable to make enough platelets, due to illness or chemotherapy, may receive platelet transfusions to stay healthy.
Blood transfusions are used for patients with liver failure, severe infections, and severe burns.

Getting Ready for Your Donation Appointment

Eat

Eating regularly before donating will help keep your blood sugar levels stable. This is important so that you do not feel dizzy or dizzy after your donation. Having a snack before donating can help maintain these blood sugar levels. Ensuring that your diet contains iron-rich foods - such as raw meat and vegetables - will help keep you feeling good during and after donations.

Drink

About half the blood you donate is made up of water. The fluid you lose during donation can cause a drop in blood pressure - it can make you feel weak and dizzy.

To prevent this from happening please drink 500ml of water immediately before donating - we will give it to you before donating. Please help us reduce the use of plastic by bringing your own refillable bottle.

It is also important to make sure that you are properly sprayed in the days leading up to your donation. This will help compensate for the fluid lost during the donation, and it will help restore your blood volume levels to normal.

It is important to avoid alcohol before and after donation as this can affect hydration levels and delay recovery.

Exercise

Avoid doing any strenuous exercise or lifting hard on the day of your donation - before and after your donation.

Keeping your body in a state of rest is important to give it a chance to replenish lost fluids during the offering, which will help you avoid feeling dizzy or lightheaded and keep you healthy. Simple exercises like walking are fine, but please make sure you are fully recovered and irrigated before your offering.

Dress

We'll need to wrap your arm around your elbow as you donate - to allow easy access to your veins. To make sure you are comfortable, please wear loose-fitting clothing.

You will need to wear a face mask when donating so make sure you have it before you leave. It does not need to be a surgical mask but should cover your mouth and nose.

Interrupt

It's normal to feel nervous when you come to donate - especially if this is your first time. Our friendly and helpful staff will release you immediately.

Disruption is key. You can bring a book to read or listen to some music while giving.

We also ask donors to do something called 'Apply muscle tension' or AMT. This is a simple exercise routine that helps keep blood pressure down, and it also stops you from feeling weak or unwell. And it's a bright distraction! AMT involves thickening and loosening large muscles of the body during the donation process. Our favorite is to wrap and connect your buttocks muscles (no jokes!).

More details on this will be available through your donation, or simply ask a professional who will be happy to advise you further

After the Donation - Recovering from the Procedure, Staying Healthy or Taking Precautions

A person usually returns to his normal routine within a few hours of donating blood. There are several ways to help the body recover.

Recovery time

During the regular offering a person donates whole blood. It contains red cells, white cells, platelets, and plasma.

After donating whole blood, a person usually stays and relaxes for about 15 minutes at a Reliable Source. The waiter can donate water, juice, or snacks to help prevent or deal with any fatigue or dizziness.

When a person feels ready, they can return to their normal activities, usually within a few hours.

The body makes about 2 million red cells every second. However, it may take a few weeks to replace the blood paint that was removed during the donation. At present, few people experience the effects of anemia.

A person should wait at least eight weeks for a Reliable Source between donations to ensure that his or her body has sufficient time to recover.

What to eat after blood donation

Blood donation lowers the levels of essential nutrients in the body. By eating and drinking certain foods, a person can help his body recover.