Download Article

Download Article

Donating blood is an extremely important thing you can do. Blood is a much needed resource; every two seconds, someone needs a blood transfusion in the US, and effectually 41,000 blood donations are needed daily. By giving blood just once, yous can help save upwardly to three lives.[1] If you are interested in donating blood to the Cherry-red Cross, acquire how to donate and so you tin get a blood donor.

  1. ane

    Detect a blood drive. Ane manner to donate blood to the Red Cross is to find a blood drive near yous. There are several means to find blood drives. Look around your community for signs advertising blood drives. Many organizations, customs events, churches, and schools hold blood drives throughout the year on similar dates. Marker your calendar for these events so y'all can donate there.[2]

    • You can besides visit the Red Cross'south website to search for blood drives in your area.
    • Almost claret drives welcome walk-in donors.

  2. 2

    Make an appointment to give blood. Through the Red Cross'due south website, you tin can make an engagement to give blood at a local drive. When you lot make an appointment online to requite blood, you will demand to provide your null lawmaking and then cull on which engagement you would similar to requite blood. When you choose a particular blood drive, you will will choose a time.[3]

    • In addition to giving blood, you can likewise donate platelets, double ruddy blood cells, and plasma.

    Advertizement

  3. three

    Contact your local Ruby Cantankerous affiliate. Every state has a state Red Cross, and some states have regional Reddish Cross chapters. You can find information about each land or region affiliate on the Reddish Cross website. You can likewise look upwards the address or phone number and call or visit.[iv]

    • These local chapters tin can provide data about customs blood drives and other Ruddy Cross-sponsored events.

  4. 4

    Phone call the Red Cross. If you are unsure where to donate blood, or you take questions virtually anything, you can call the Cherry-red Cross. They can help answer questions, provide information, and check availability for you.[5]

    • The number for the Ruby Cantankerous is one-800-Ruddy-Cross.

  5. 5

    Host a community blood drive. Another way you tin can donate blood to the Ruddy Cross is to host a blood bulldoze. This can be through your place of employment, a community centre, or a local organization.[half-dozen]

    • If yous determine to host a blood bulldoze, a representative from the Scarlet Cross volition work with you to assist you.
    • You provide the location when y'all host a blood drive. You also find donors, schedule appointments, and advertise the blood bulldoze effectually your community.
    • You lot can register to host a claret drive on the Crimson Cross website.

    Advertisement

  1. ane

    Set up aside at least an hour. The process of giving blood takes around an hour, although the act of donating only takes effectually 10 minutes. You will take to go through registration, a physical, and a short recovery fourth dimension when you give blood.[7]

    • At busier blood drives, you lot may take to look longer than an hour.
    • Make sure to article of clothing short sleeves or a shirt with a sleeve that tin easily be pushed higher up the elbow.[8]

  2. two

    Be prepared for the registration process. When you make it at donation site, y'all will have to annals. This means you lot will fill out a grade where you provide basic data virtually yourself.[ix]

    • Brand sure to bring your ID. This can be your donor carte du jour, your commuter'south license, or ii alternating forms of ID. One form of ID must have a photo. If yous exercise not take a photo ID, bring two other forms of ID. These IDs must have your proper name on them. The ii forms of ID can be a credit or debit menu, checkbook with name and address, social security card, pay stub, fishing license, library card, or any other card that has your name.

  3. 3

    Get through the concrete. Before you give blood, you lot volition be given a physical. This physical includes a session of private, confidential questions. The questions comprehend your health and your travel history.[10]

    • In improver to questions, someone will take your temperature and pulse, and check your hemoglobin and blood pressure.
    • Some of the personal questions to expect include the use of IV drugs, piercings and tattoos, and history of sexually transmitted diseases. They will likewise ask if you have taken any payment for sex activity. If y'all are a male, they will ask if yous have had sexual activity with another male. Regardless of gender, they will ask if you accept had sex with someone who fits into any of those categories.[11]
    • Health and behavioral related questions help screen for potential problems that may prevent one from donating. It is important to exist honest, merely they will besides exam your blood to ensure no incorrect information is given. If y'all are completely honest it can save time and money in non processing blood that will not be able to be used.

  4. four

    Give blood. When you give blood, you lot will sit in a chair. Ane of the blood drive staff volition cleanse your arm before she inserts a new, sterile needle into your arm. Y'all will sit in the chair while the bag fills. When you lot accept donated the appropriate amount of blood, the staff member volition remove the needle and bandage the wound.[12]

    • Donating blood takes viii to 10 minutes.
    • When yous donate blood, you volition give around a pint of blood.

  5. five

    Recover with refreshments. Later you requite blood, yous will be given refreshments, like juice and cookies. This allows y'all a few minutes to rest while your torso recovers from losing a pint of blood. You stay for about ten to 15 minutes. And then you get out the blood bulldoze.[xiii]

    • Make certain you eat the snacks provided and rehydrate with the recommended fluids. This tin can assistance avoid dizziness or fainting afterwards.

    Advertisement

  1. one

    Read the eligibility requirements. The Red Cross outlines eligibility requirements for giving blood. These eligibility requirements cover disease, travel, tattoos, medications, age, and weight. Visit their website to read the requirements carefully to know if you tin can give blood.[fourteen]

    • To donate double red cells, yous have to be at least 5'1" and 130 pounds if you are male person, and five'5" and 150 pounds if yous are female person.[15]
    • The Red Cantankerous's website gives a detailed list of eligibility requirements. Cheque the Ruby-red Cross's website, contact your local Red Cross affiliate, or call the Red Cross to talk over your eligibility.

  2. 2

    Know the age and weight requirements. In most states, you have to be at least 17 years old to donate blood. If y'all are 16, y'all can give blood, like at a school blood drive, with parental consent. To give blood, you must weigh at least 110 pounds.[16]

    • The weight requirement changes depending on your height and age. All donors under 18 must meet peak and weight requirements. If you are male and four'10", y'all have to weigh at least 118 pounds. If you are male and iv'11", you lot have to weigh 114 pounds.
    • Female donors who are under 18 accept to meet summit and weight requirements. If you are under xviii, you lot accept to be 5'half-dozen" and 110 pounds to give blood. With each inch shorter than 5'6", the weight requirement increases past four to v pounds. For example, if you lot are five'1", you have to weight 133, and if you are 4'10", you have to weigh 146 pounds.[17]

  3. iii

    Consider your sexual history. Sexual history affects your eligibility. If yous have tested positive for HIV, exchanged sex for coin or drugs, y'all cannot give blood. If yous have had sex with someone who has done whatsoever of these things, you have to wait a yr.[18]

    • The requirements for men who accept had sex with men have recently changed. If you are a man who has had sex activity with another man during the past year, you will have to wait 12 months before you lot give blood.
    • If you lot are a female who has had sexual activity with a man who had sexual activity with a man in the concluding year, yous have to look 12 months to requite blood.
    • If yous have been treated for syphilis or gonorrhea, you have to wait at least a year to donate blood.[19]

  4. iv

    Think well-nigh your drug history. If you have always used whatsoever intravenous drugs non prescribed past a doctor, y'all cannot requite blood.[twenty]

  5. 5

    Know your travel history. Depending on where you have traveled, yous may demand to wait to give blood. Traveling to Mexico, Central or South America, or the Caribbean requires you to wait 28 days to give blood. If you have traveled outside of the Usa and Canada in the final 3 years, you will be required to requite a travel history.

    • Yous must wait three years afterwards malaria treatments, 12 months afterward returning from malaria-risk countries, and three years after living more than than v years in a malaria-take chances country to give blood.
    • If you take spent extended periods of time in countries with mad cow illness, you cannot donate.[21]

  6. 6

    Be in generally good health to give blood. To give blood, you demand to experience well. If you lot have a cold or the flu, you cannot give blood and will have to wait. If you lot are taking antibiotics for whatever illness, you take to expect until after the treatment is complete.

    • If you take a blood condition where your claret doesn't clot or are taking claret thinners, y'all shouldn't donate blood.
    • If yous take high blood pressure, you can give claret as long as it is below 180/100.
    • If you take had leukemia or a cancer of the blood, you are not eligible to donate.[22]

    Advertisement

  1. 1

    Make sure you are in good health. Claret donors should overall be good for you and feeling well. This ways that y'all are not sick, running a fever, have an infection, or other affliction. You should exist able to perform normal activities.[23]

    • Yous may be eligible to give blood if you have certain chronic conditions, like diabetes, if yous are treating it and it is manageable. If you are unsure almost your condition, contact the Ruby Cross or your doctor.

  2. 2

    Know how ofttimes you can give blood. Y'all tin can give blood multiple times a year. Yet, each donor must wait 56 days between each blood donation.[24]

  3. iii

    Swallow iron-rich foods earlier giving blood. To make sure you lot accept plenty fe in your body, eat foods that contain a lot of iron before and later on yous give blood. These foods include red meat, fish, poultry, spinach, cereals fortified with iron, and beans.[25]

    • Don't eat fatty foods before yous donate blood. This includes hamburgers, fried foods, French fries, or ice foam. These foods tin can negatively affect your claret and cause you to not be able to donate.

  4. 4

    Hydrate before donating. Earlier y'all donate blood, make sure to hydrate yourself. Drink viii 8-ounce glasses of water or other non-alcoholic fluids the days leading upwards to your donation. On the mean solar day you give claret, make sure to drink an additional xvi ounces of water or fluids.[26]

  5. 5

    Come back if you are declined. Sometimes, potential claret donors are declined. Many factors may influence this. If you lot are declined for a reason that is not related to an unchanging lifestyle or medical situation, then go back to try to give claret again. Many people are turned away up to three times before they tin can give blood.[27]

    Advertisement

Ask a Question

200 characters left

Include your email accost to become a message when this question is answered.

Submit

Advertizement

  • Even if you cannot donate blood, organizing a blood drive is a dandy way to give back to your customs.

  • There is a serious need for all blood types, and demand is growing.

Advert

References

About This Article

Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 10,336 times.

Did this article help you?