Just HOW did you get through nursing school?

[dalesys]

Rappers do that now?

Rapscallion

They specialize more on the cause.

[KatherineB]

Just thought this story might be interesting in light of this conversation.

[fireheart]

Just thought this story might be interesting in light of this conversation.

you beat me to it.

[wolfie]

Although I'm not as old, it's also been a looooong time since I've had sex. I'm sorry, but there is no fucking way I'm pregnant. Sure, some women lie, but going in assuming and insinuating that I'm lying, because I'm a woman? Not a way for me to have any confidence in my treatment at your facility.

One of the reasons I've stopped giving blood. The pre-donation quiz has a number of questions related to sexual activity during the past year. I answer the first question with "I've been celibate for the past year", which SHOULD also answer the rest of the "in the past year, have you ...", but they would ask me each question individually, which I felt was implying that my answer to the first one was a lie.

[Aethian]

Wow...giving blood saves lives but because they HAVE to have the questions you choose to not give blood?

Granted the last time I gave blood I got to sit at a computer to answer the test. When I put in the last time I had sex it skipped me past a few questions but others were highlighted for answer. When I put that I hadn't been out of the country for so long it didn't ask me the other out of country questions. Also because I was born in 82, I didn't have to answer the 70's question.

[Andara Bledin]

One of the reasons I've stopped giving blood. The pre-donation quiz has a number of questions related to sexual activity during the past year. I answer the first question with "I've been celibate for the past year", which SHOULD also answer the rest of the "in the past year, have you ...", but they would ask me each question individually, which I felt was implying that my answer to the first one was a lie.

That makes pretty much zero sense.

The questions are yes/no and have boxes that you fill in. The aides scan the boxes for the answers, so you're write in at the top is utterly useless to them without the rest of the boxes being filled in.

And now, most places have the computerized system, so it's almost entirely moot.

^-.-^

[PandaHat]

One of the reasons I've stopped giving blood. The pre-donation quiz has a number of questions related to sexual activity during the past year. I answer the first question with "I've been celibate for the past year", which SHOULD also answer the rest of the "in the past year, have you ...", but they would ask me each question individually, which I felt was implying that my answer to the first one was a lie.

They may be required to make sure the boxes are filled in. They probably think it is as stupid to ask again as you do. Taking a different example, when I am clerking patients in, I write down what medication they are on. My next set of questions ask whether they are on aspirin/warfarin/clopidogrel/contraceptive pill/hormone replacement therapy. I still have to double check even though that question has been answered already by me getting their medication list. I doubt they assume you are lying. Please continue to give blood even though the questions are irritating. It's life-saving. /nag

[Seshat]

Add in that there's a ton of people who would give blood if they could, but can't ...

Examples:
* my husband is an extra-rare blood type that's undesirable except for others of his exact type.
* A and I are both on medications that put us on the 'do not donate' list; and my illness is a 'do not donate'.


Until we can synthesise blood-replacement, blood donors are life-saving.

[Flyndaran]

Add in that there's a ton of people who would give blood if they could, but can't ...

Examples:
* my husband is an extra-rare blood type that's undesirable except for others of his exact type.
* A and I are both on medications that put us on the 'do not donate' list; and my illness is a 'do not donate'.


Until we can synthesise blood-replacement, blood donors are life-saving.

It already exists.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blood_substitute

[trailerparkmedic]

It already exists.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blood_substitute

That only exists in clinical trials. It is also not as effective in trauma as real blood; I've seen at least one study my hospital was involved in on this topic but my PubMed search skills are failing me right now.

[Seshat]

Until they get it (synthetic substitute) right, please don't let forms or silly staff or anything like that put you off from giving blood.

Give it for me, because I can't.
Give it for those of your friends and family who are of a type that can use your blood: they might need emergency surgery between now and your next donation.
Give it for strangers, knowing that other strangers are giving blood for you.

And when someone at the blood centre acts idiotically at you, just tell yourself 'I'm not giving blood for him/her. I'm giving it for Seshat, and trailerparkmedic, and Jester, and Panda Hat, and wolfie, and Andara, and Aethian, and fireheart, and ...."

Doesn't matter to me whether you do a plasma donation, or a red cell donation, or a whole blood, or whatever it is you choose to do/is most helpful with your particular blood.

[Kal]

I got punctured by two different people last time I donated as they couldn't find a vein in the left arm but luckily they did manage to find one on the right. I really don't like needles so that wasn't fun at all, and the 35 min wait as they were running slow didn't help too much either.
It's something I can do to help people though and there's no good reason for me not to donate.

[fireheart]

And when someone at the blood centre acts idiotically at you, just tell yourself 'I'm not giving blood for him/her. I'm giving it for Seshat, and trailerparkmedic, and Jester, and Panda Hat, and wolfie, and Andara, and Aethian, and fireheart, and ...."
.

Thanks for mentioning me.

I know all of two people who can't donate blood:

-One can't because she's this tiny little twig who is too skinny to donate (and I wish I was as skinny as her honestly). She's not anorexic, she just falls outside the range of the minimum body weight to donate.

-The other had leukaemia when she was younger.

Luckily down here, the rules for donating blood are just that if you've had anal sex, you need to wait 12 months until you donate. They don't care if you're male or female or whether you gave or received.

I'm in that position of being squicked out by needles somewhat. While I can handle being immunized, having blood taken freaks me out a little (possibly due to the fear of passing out)

[Fudgethatkay]

I can't give blood due to always being anywhere from 5-15 lbs underweight.

I mean, I wish they took size into matter. I'm not a twig. Slight, yes, but definitely not see through when I turn to side. I'm just very short

I was over 5'2" or something, sure, but....being that my ideal weight for my height is anywhere from 80-123 lbs (depending on the website. 4'11" if that)


/whining, sorry.

Edit; And yes, despite my fear of needles, I tried to apply TWICE as to face my fear cause I'm an idiot like that. Not smart, I know.

[Mikkel]

I can't give blood because I had hepatitis A 40 years ago .
As long as I test positive for antibodies I can't be a donor here in Denmark.