How do I Donate Plasma in Temple, Texas?

Plasma is a life-saving blood product that helps manage serious life-threatening conditions such as hepatitis, immune disorders and blood loss due to trauma. Donating plasma in Temple, Texas is remarkably similar to other donation sites around the world. Biomat USA owns the Temple donation center. Plasma donors receive money for their time since donation can take up to two hours and life-saving plasma products can only be made from repeat donations.

Things You'll Need

• Driver's License
• Social Security Number

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Instructions

• 1

  Check in with the secretary. A front desk secretary will greet you upon arriving at the plasma donation center. If you are ready to sign up to donate plasma, she will give you a medical form to fill out. If you have questions about the plasma donation process, the secretary should be able to answer them, or she will ask one of the nurses to come speak to you.

• 2

  Fill out a medical questionnaire. The medical questionnaire will ask your age, gender, height and weight. You will also be asked intimate questions about your sexual history and exposure to HIV and Hepatitis. You must be at least 18 years of age to donate plasma and at least 110 pounds. You will enter a private room for a medical screening with a nurse when your questionnaire is complete.

• 3

  Complete the health screening with the nurse. The nurse will prick your finger and take a sample of your blood. This will give the nurse your hematocrit and protein levels. You will have to elaborate on the questions asked in the written questionnaire. The nurse will take your blood pressure and examine you to determine if you are an appropriate candidate for plasma donation.

• 4

  Read and sign a waiver. There are not normally complications with donating plasma, but as with any medical procedure, there is the possibility of an adverse reaction. The plasma donation site will have a medical release that is specific to the state of Texas. You must sign it before you can donate your plasma.

• 5

  Sit in the chair. When all medical exams are complete, and you have signed the medical waiver, you will move to a room with several large chairs. You will be able to rest your head and put your feet up while the medical staff prepares to extract your plasma.

• 6

  Donate Plasma. Two needles are inserted into your arm. The first needle will pull your blood out and into a machine sitting next to your chair. The machine will separate your plasma and then return the remaining blood product to a second needle in your arm. Some individuals will have both needles in the same arm, while others will have one needle in each arm. Needle placement is based on your vein accessibility and does not affect the plasma donation process.

• 7

  Sit and rest in a chair for at least five minutes. When the donation process is complete, the medical worker will remove the needles and ask you how you feel. He will give you some juice and cookies and ask you to remain sitting for at least five minutes. You may choose to rest longer to ensure you feel well enough to drive home.

• 8

  Drink plenty of water. Your plasma will regenerate in one to two days. During the plasma regeneration phase, you should not feel tired or any other side effects. Drinking plenty of water will help your blood volume and give you continued energy.

• 9

  Donate up to two times per week. The plasma donation center needs at least two donations from the same individual in order to make life-saving blood products. It is necessary for you to come back for a second donation. If you do not donate a second time the donation center will not be able to use your first donation to help save a life. Your second donation and any subsequent donations will go much quicker than your first appointment since all the medical testing was complete on the first day.