Blood Donation

[Canehdianman]

Originally Posted by habernac

Went Friday and was a little annoyed that making an appointment seems like a waste of time. You wait the same amount of time regardless.

This is what made me stop donating.

I don't have 3-4 hours to sit around waiting. I want to go in, donate and leave.

I last tried to go do a clinic at the deerfoot inn about 2 years ago. After waiting over an hour (and not even getting to the iron test stage), I decided to leave.

handed my paper packet back to the nurse and said I was leaving. I actually got a phone call from someone high up at CBS about 3 days later to discuss the delays. Hopefully things are better now... Maybe I'll give it another go soon.

[Jimmy Stang]

I didn't realize how slow the system had become. Back when I was donating, I'd show up at the main building there in the Beltline, answer a few questions, and they'd be taking my blood in no time. Afterwards, wait a few minutes for the obligatory cookie and juice, and I was on my way. Perhaps my memories of it are too faded, but I'd guess that I was in and out within 30-40 minutes each time.

[DownhillGoat]

Originally Posted by wretched34

but it just seems odd that they are so quick to deny based on a questionnaire. I would expect they still test all the donated blood, because, you know, people can lie on paper. So why flat out deny people before a donation just because they are more "high risk". They could easily be turning away completely acceptable blood.

I would assume the ratio of blood tested and failed vs blood being able to be used in high-risk donors is much too high. It takes time and money to test, so at some point it just doesn't make fiscal sense. Say in high-risk patients they're using resources just to discard 90% of it (a random number), IMO it's better to not burden the system for 10% of useable blood.

[mrkajz44]

Not sure where 3-4 hours is coming from, but in my experience it averages about an hour from when I walk in the door, until I walk out (which includes the 10-15 minute recovery period after you donate).

Just don't want people to think a whole afternoon is needed to donate blood as I think an hour is much more accurate, at least in my experience.

[Coys1882]

A facebook page about a woman need a stem cell donation got to me so I signed up to give blood in November - hopefully it doesn't take that long.

Side note: too old to be a stem cell donor.

[MoneyGuy]

Three to four hours? I'm done in a hour and I bring reading material. I enjoy the experience...for the cookies.

[polak]

I check off too many of their "no-go's".

And no I haven't had buttsecks.

[Canehdianman]

Originally Posted by mrkajz44

Not sure where 3-4 hours is coming from, but in my experience it averages about an hour from when I walk in the door, until I walk out (which includes the 10-15 minute recovery period after you donate).

Just don't want people to think a whole afternoon is needed to donate blood as I think an hour is much more accurate, at least in my experience.

This was my experience in the past as well. I had 3 donations in a row that were 2-4 hours long and I decided that was enough.

I still feel guilty about it now and then though. I'm sure I'll go back one day.

Would be nice to get to 30 donations and get my next pin.

[RyZ]

Originally Posted by The Ditch

maybe they shouldn't exclude gay males from donating blood, that would probably be a good start.

Social justice aside, that wouldn't even make a pea sized dent in the fact they are critically low on supply.

[T-Rich]

Wait time may depend on where you go, I remember going at the university a couple times and having some pretty long waits where as the last few times I went was at down town mobile clinics, the time has been roughly 1 to 1.5 hours. To be fair though it's been a couple years since I've donated because every year I travel somewhere that I then have to wait a year before I can donate.

[The Ditch]

Originally Posted by RyZ

Social justice aside, that wouldn't even make a pea sized dent in the fact they are critically low on supply.

There are plenty of people who won't donate because of the archaic discriminatory rules, not just gay males, hope this helps.

[GrrlGoalie33]

Iused to donate regularly, but having cancer now makes me ineligible.

[afc wimbledon]

I remember my first donation back in '79, they brought the truck by the office I worked at, did the whole office over lunch, took maybe 10 minutes in and out, not sure they even took your name, let alone asked any questions!

[schooner]

I used to donate when they did the mobile clinic at my high school. I check the site once and a while as I would really like to donate ( type o neg) but where I am is 2 and a half hours from a clinic. I should be moving back to a bigger city for work soon and can hopefully start donating again.

[InglewoodFan]

Yesterday at the 13th Ave clinic, 1 hour from appt time to out the door. I noticed a few first timers taking a bit longer than me, maybe 1 hr 20 min. It was pretty steady while I was there. I asked about the latest appeal and they are currently running at ~ 150% plan as a result. So good news on that front.

Fun fact on the deferral of anyone who spent too much time in the UK due to mad cow, a Canadian friend who moved to London can't donate there because of possible exposure to West Nile. Seems every country has their odd rules.

[bagofpucks]

Yah, we were at the 13th ave clinic last night too. It was really busy when we got there, but we were in and out in an hour and 15 mins or so. A couple of people behind us decided to cancel their appointment and come back another day. Glad to see it is so busy though!

[Max Cow Disease]

Waiting to donate as we speak (first time). Supposedly a little over an hour at the moment.

[fredr123]

This thread and the recent calls for more blood donations has inspired me to make a donation for the first time. I suppose it's a good thing that the online appointment thinger shows that most of the available slots for appointments in the next week or so are taken. On the other hand, if donating blood was less of a pain in the ass maybe the supply wouldn't be so low.

[habernac]

Originally Posted by fredr123

This thread and the recent calls for more blood donations has inspired me to make a donation for the first time. I suppose it's a good thing that the online appointment thinger shows that most of the available slots for appointments in the next week or so are taken. On the other hand, if donating blood was less of a pain in the ass maybe the supply wouldn't be so low.

just walk in, appointments mean nothing

[Burninator]

Originally Posted by habernac

just walk in, appointments mean nothing

I have seen them turn walk-ins away if they are really busy. But I have only seen that happen once. Otherwise appointments are useless.