Giving blood is a heroic act to many people. When patients enter a trauma center, oftentimes they’ll need blood to survive their injuries. Only through blood donation will hospitals and treatment centers have what is necessary to treat patients successfully. If given the opportunity, it is always a great act to donate blood because you know you’ll be helping someone in need. While it is self-sacrificing to donate blood, there are still certain qualifications that donors need to meet. Here you will learn be eligible to give blood.
Instructions
1. Find a blood donation center. The American Red Cross is the largest blood donation organization in the United States and supplies more than 3,000 U.S. hospitals with donated blood. Contact your local chapter for information on blood drives or other locations where you can go to donate blood.
2. Qualify to donate blood. There are a few factors that any individual needs to be eligible to give blood. All interested individuals must be at least 17 years of age and must be a healthy. Men and women must also be at least 110 lbs. in weight. The volume of blood in your body is proportional to how much you weigh. Those who weigh less than 110 lbs. would probably not be able to give the amount of blood taken at a blood donation.
3. Be free from antibiotics. Those individuals on antibiotics for a bacterial infection should not give blood. If on antibiotics, you should wait at lest 10 days after the last dosage before donating blood.
4. Do not donate blood if you are sick. While cold and flu symptoms can not be transmitted by blood, it is suggested that those who are under the weather wait until they are feeling better to donate blood.
5. Wait if you have gotten a tattoo. While the majority of tattoo parlors are state regulated, there is always the chance of getting a tattoo from someone who is not licensed and who does not follow standard safety and sanitary precautions. To be safe, wait at least one year after receiving a tattoo in order to prevent possible spread of hepatitis.
6. Donate blood once every two months. If you are looking to become a regular blood donor, donations can only be made every eight weeks. This allows your blood cells to regenerate and maximizes the quality of your blood.
7. Learn about all the other factors that can affect blood donation. It is important to review the regulations before donating blood. Those with chronic illness and certain types of cancer may be eligible to give blood. Contact the Red Cross if you have additional questions about qualifications.
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