Prepare for Blood Donation

Find a convenient donation location and time for you.

Helpful Hints

• Get a good night’s sleep.
• Eat a healthy meal at least one hour before donating.
• Be well hydrated before your donation.
• Make sure you bring verification of your identity — a driver’s license, donor ID card or government-issued ID card — showing your name and birthdate.

Registration

• Sign in and have your identification ready!
• A donor specialist will get you started on a questionnaire on a tablet related to your health, travel and other risk factors. (If you’d like more information about some of the questions, visit the eligibility section.) 

Medical Review

• The donor specialist will ask follow-up questions regarding your answers to the questionnaire to ensure that donating is right for you and safe for patients. Your answers are confidential.
• A donor specialist will conduct a “mini physical,” checking your blood pressure, temperature and pulse.
• He or she will also take a small drop of blood from your finger to test your blood iron count.

Donating Blood Time

• If you meet all the requirements, you’ll be escorted to a bed in the donor room.
• The donor specialist will clean your arm and use a sterile blood donation kit to draw blood from a vein in your arm.
• Approximately 1 pint of blood is drawn, which takes approximately 10 minutes.
• After the donation, the donor specialist will remove the needle and ask you to apply pressure and raise your arm to prevent clotting.

Café Time: Post-Donation Refreshments

• When you are ready, you will be escorted to our donor cafe for a bit of rest and rehydration.
• Have a seat and let our volunteer or staff bring you your choice of water, juice, cookies and other snacks.
• It’s a good idea to relax for at least 10 minutes so your body has time to begin replacing your donated fluids.

After Your Blood Donation

• Enjoy your day — you’ve earned it! 
• Drink more fluids than usual in the next few hours, but avoid alcohol.
• Eat a nutritious meal soon after you donate.
• Keep your bandage on for about 3 hours.
• You may resume normal daily activities, but avoid strenuous exercise.
• If you’re feeling funny or light-headed, lay down for a little bit and drink more fluids.