So often we hear "they won't take my blood". Please let a qualified blood technican make that decision. Many people just assume they can't give blood from what others have told them. Times have changed. Diabetics, people with high blood pressure, cholesterol, often make excellent blood donors. Before you decide to keep your gift of life , give us the oportunity to see if you can use your gift to save another.
Transfused at JMH in 2005
3306 total donors drawn
1735 units of red blood cells
179 units of platelets
255 units of plasma
Every unit donated to the general supply gets the following tests
HIV ½
Hepatitis B core antibody
Hepatitis B surface antigen
Hepatitis C antibody
Hepatitis C and HIV nucleic acid test
West Nile Virus nucleic acid test
Syphilis
Any positive test are repeated and confirmed with another test
One unit of whole blood is used to produce 1 unit of red blood cells and 1 unit of plasma
Storage
Red blood cells are stored at 4 degrees C (refrigerated)
Plasma is stored at -18 degrees C (frozen)
Platelets are stored at 24 degrees (room temp)
Shelf Life
Red cells have a shelf life of 42 days
Plasma has a shelf life of years
Platelets have a shelf life of 5 days
Function
Red cells carry oxygen to tissue
Plasma is the liquid part of blood and
carries nutrients, clotting factors, and enzymes
Platelets help clotting by plugging small holes in blood vessels
Risk
HIV approximately 1 per 2,000,000 units
Hepatitis C approximately 1 per 2,000,000 units
Bacterial contamination of red blood cells
approximately 1 per 500,000 units
Bacterial contamination of platelets approximately
1 per 1,000-2,000 units
(reference: LabMedicine, ASCP Press, Feb 2005, page 111-2)
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