What type of needle is used to draw blood during blood donation..and how can one make sure that the needle is new and sterile. (does it come wrapped)??
2006-12-18 05:49:15 · 6 answers · asked by Anonymous in Health ➔ Other - Health
The needle is fairly small. The tech will use gloves & will open the needle in front of you. Everything is sterile & completely safe. Donating blood is a very admirable thing to do & with one donation up to 4 lives could be saved. It is relatively painless & can be done every 8 weeks. I wish more people would donate it's very important. I donate every chance I get. It's such a small price to pay to save a precious life. Good Luck.
2006-12-18 06:16:35 · answer #1 · answered by 2D 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I'm a nurse. Yes everything is sterile. The the blood bag and the needle (attached) comes together in a sterile bag. The neddle is a sixteen gage. They can use a smaller needle like a eighteen gage. The person that is sticking you should do a sixty second scrub with bentadine swabs. Gloves should be worn also. The whole process is less than an hour. If you have any tatoos you are deferred and can't donate ever. Ask them over the phone first about who can't donate before you go there and they turn you away. I use to work at one. Also some people faint due to the pint of blood loss. Make sure you eat before you do this.
2006-12-18 06:03:35 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
The entire package (blood bag attached to tubing, which is attached to the needle) generally comes as one unit and is packaged. Even after opening the package, the needle remains capped. A 16 ga needle is not what most people consider to be small, but discomfort is generally pretty minimal anyway. Generally the 16 ga needle that comes with today's donor packs cannot be removed and exchanged for a smaller size.
As an aside, receiving a tattoo should not permanently defer any donor these days. A one year wait may be encountered, depending on facility policy and whether or not the tattoo was performed under sterile conditions in a licensed facility.
2006-12-21 18:32:33 · answer #3 · answered by eric_aggie_00 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
yes is does come wrapped. you can watch them open everything if you want. The best place to go is the Red Cross at a donation station instead of a moving blood drive - they have the more experienced people there and can help the more difficult donors. The needle used is quite large - to avoid clots in the needle - and someone with small veins will usually have trouble (like me)
2006-12-18 05:52:32 · answer #4 · answered by Alexis 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The technician should be wearing gloves and unwrap the needle right in front of you.
2006-12-18 05:51:30 · answer #5 · answered by CAITLIN 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Oh they are very careful with that, as long as it is a reputable place you have nothing to worry about.
2006-12-18 05:52:17 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋