Minor Donor Permit United Blood Services printable pdf download

For Parents and Students: Minor Donor Permit

and Information About Donating Blood

Every day people like you need blood: students, teachers, family, and friends! And when blood is needed,

blood must be there. The only source is generous volunteers like you!

COMMON QUESTIONS ABOUT BLOOD DONATION

Q: Is blood donation safe? Does it hurt?

For your safety, you must stay in the refreshment

area at least 15 minutes following the donation.

A: Donating blood is safe. All materials are used

once, and then discarded. You cannot get any in-

Q: How much can I give?

fectious disease by donating blood. Most people

A: Every donor is evaluated individually with

feel fine after they give. The actual needle stick

safety in mind! When you donate whole blood,

(venipuncture) hurts no more than a pinch.

one unit, about a pint is collected. Depending on

your gender, height, and weight, you can give up to

Q: How long will it take?

2 units in an automated blood collection. For ex-

A: The entire process takes about 60 minutes, in-

ample, one donor may be able to donate two units

cluding the interview before and refreshment time

of Red Blood Cells (RBC); another may donate one

after donation; automated donations take longer.

unit of Platelets and one unit of Plasma.

BLOOD DONOR QUALIFICATIONS

In general, volunteer blood donors must be 16 or older and in good health.

Height/Weight Restrictions for Donors Age 16-22

Eligibility is Based on Estimated Total Blood Volume

Males between 16 and 22: You must be at least 5' tall and weigh at least 110 pounds.

Females between 16 and 22: If you weigh at least 110 but are shorter than 5'6", please refer to this chart*:

 4'10"

 4'11"

 5'

 5'1"

 5'2"

 5'3"

 5'4"

 5'5"

Females who are:

 146

 142

 138

 133

 129

 124

 120

 115

Must weigh:

*Shorter people must weigh more to achieve a 3500 mL blood volume.

Blood Donation: The Process

the collection. The body naturally replaces the do-

Whole Blood Donation

nated components: plasma within several hours,

Blood is collected from an arm vein into a bag spe-

platelets within 24 hours, and red cells in about 56

cially designed to store blood. Typically, each unit

days (112 days for 2-unit Red Blood Cell donation).

is separated into multiple components, usually

The number of white blood cells lost is small.

RBCs and Plasma. Whole blood donation is the

Some Potential Side Effects

most common way to donate blood. We also use

special machines for automated blood collection.

Serious complications are rare. However, as in any

medical procedure, there are certain risks. Potential

Automated Blood Collection Methods

side effects of both whole blood and automated

With automated equipment, the blood center can

blood collection include fainting, dizziness, nausea,

collect the exact components that patients need.

vomiting, bruising or redness in the area of the ven-

Blood is collected from an arm vein and passed

ipuncture, and iron deficiency in individuals making

through an apheresis instrument that separates the

3 or more donation a year. More serious reactions

blood into its components.

During donation, a

may include seizures and, rarely, nerve injury in the

small amount of anticoagulant (citrate) is added to

area of the venipuncture. While a small proportion

the blood to prevent clotting.

After the targeted

of blood donors have adverse reactions (overall

component(s) is/are collected, the remainder of the

reaction rate of 1.43%), donors aged 16 to 22 do

blood is returned to the donor. The donor may re-

experience a higher prevalence of reactions (about

ceive saline solution to help replace fluid lost during

5%). To reduce the likelihood of a reaction, the

BS 319 (Rev. 9)

MAN100

Minor Donor Permit United Blood Services

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