13th Winter Blood Drive

December 13th in Woollen Gym

7:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.

Sponsored by: the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Human Resources, Student Stores, Athletics, a Committee from across campus, Printing Services, and the American Red Cross

Donor Information

Overview of Blood Donation Process

When someone has signed up and received an appointment, their next job is to show up at the correct time at Woollen Gym on December 13, 2011 and make sure they have had something to eat or drink prior to donating. Transportation details are on the website www.unc.edu/blood/. Free parking for donors is available the day of the blood drive. Donors will enter Woollen Gym - and will see "donors this way" signs. Upon entering, the people with appointments will check in at the DONOR CHECK-IN table (appointments will have their own check in, and walk-ins will check in at a separate table). Appointments have priority. Walk-ins are encouraged to donate in the afternoon.

Walk-ins will be worked in to the appointment schedule if there are openings, and otherwise will have to wait for when the appointments have all been caught up and there is time available. Before the registration process begins, each donor will be given information to read to ensure their eligibility. This reading is required of all blood donors, both new and returning. When the donors finish reading, the formal registration process begins. Remind donors to bring either their Red Cross Donor Card or some form of picture ID (driver's license, UNC One Card, passport, etc.). All donors must have ID to donate blood.

At this point in the process a donor can decide (if s/he fit certain blood type, height, and weight requirements) if s/he would be interested in an Automated Red Cell Donation. An Automated Red Cell Donation, a sterile pheresis process in which a donor donates double the number of red blood cells but receives their platelets, plasma, and fluids back, takes approximately 20-30 minutes longer then a typical donation, but donors are expedited to a specific area for these donations and will not have to wait as long for their health history.

A collections supervisor will be on hand upstairs near this station to answer any questions or concerns people have about any aspect of the donation process.

The next stage is to go and have a health history done. This process is computerized. First time donors should let the nurse know "they're new at this process" at this station, and their health history might take a little longer since they will have to be registered in the computer system. This station includes having their temperature, blood pressure, and pulse checked along with a finger stick to determine hemoglobin (iron in blood) levels. At this point the donor must make the final decision about donating Automated Red Cells. After the "mini-physical" has been administered donors will be asked to answer a series of questions to ensure they are eligible to donate. These questions can be personal and are completely confidential.

The donors are then issued a blood bag with an identification number unique to their donation and escorted to a donor bed to begin the phlebotomy process.. It takes 10-15 minutes to donate one unit of blood, slightly longer for double red cell donations. Many people simply lie back and relax, or bring something to read. For more information, please go to www.unc.edu/blood/.

After the donation, a donor escort will assist you to the canteen area where donors must rest for 10-15 minutes and enjoy the free refreshments provided before they exit using the elevators located to the right of the canteen. Free t-shirts and donor surveys are available here.

In all, the total process can take 1 ½ hours for whole blood and a bit longer for a double red cell donation. Participation in the semi-annual University-wide Blood Drives as either a donor or volunteer is considered work time for both permanent and temporary employees. Time to donate blood or volunteer must be requested in advance and management will consider both the employee's request and the operating needs of the office. See http://hr.unc.edu/policies-procedures-guidelines/spa-employee-policies/leave-and-holidays/CCM1_029182 for clarification.

The Red Cross has an illustrated guide to the donation process. You may also contact the American Red Cross Donor Information phone at 1-866-562-7156 if you have questions regarding donation eligibility.

Donor Eligibility

Blood Types

Nutrition and Iron

FAQs About Blood and Blood Needs

Tips on a Good Donation Experience

Red Cross videos

Double Red Cell

If you could help more patients with one donation, would you? In a traditional blood donation, donors give whole blood, which consists of red cells, plasma and platelets. With the automated process called double red cell donation, donors can give just red cells, but two units of red cells, and that's the component of blood that is in the greatest demand.

Become a Double Red Cell Donor!