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The Best Hour of Your Day
How long does
it take to save three lives? According to blood banking industry
standards, the donation process, which includes paperwork, a medical
history interview, the actual collection of blood, and any waiting
periods in between each step, should take about an hour.
“To ensure maximum safety for both the donor and recipient, our staff is
trained to follow standard operation procedures at all times,” explained
Blood Bank of Hawaii President & Medical Director Robyn Yim, M.D. “These
procedures are federally regulated and there are safeguards built into
each step of the process. We are asking that all donors allocate 60
minutes for each donation to allow us to maintain a standard of
compliance and the highest level of safety for both the donor and
recipient. There aren't many ways to make such a big difference in the
lives of others in such a small amount of time, so the hour is very well
spent.”
“We are very sensitive to the busy schedules of every person who comes
to the Blood Bank of Hawaii or one of our company or community blood
drives to give the gift of life,” said Yim. The 60-minute standard is
closely monitored and applied to every donation with the exception of
high school drives which can take a little longer due to the high
percentage of first time donors.
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