Before Your Donation
- Be sure to eat a hearty meal and drink plenty of fluids before you donate.
- Get a good night's sleep the night before your donation.
- On the day of your donation, you can use the CFL Express Pass to complete your health history interview from your home or office. This is optional, but it will help speed up your donation! CFL Express Pass is available on our Digital Donor app or by logging in to your account. Don't forget to print your ticket if completing it through our website.
- If it's your first time donating, watch the video below for a walkthrough of the donation process.
Health History
- A Blood Center staff member will welcome you into a screening booth, where you'll present your photo ID and provide basic information about yourself. If you used the CFL Express Pass, present your ticket.
- This is optional, but it will help speed up your donation! CFL Express Pass is available on our Digital Donor app or by logging in to your account. Don't forget to print your ticket if completing the CFL Express Pass through our website.
- In the private booth, you’ll answer questions about your past and present health on a computer; this information is kept confidential.
- When you are finished, the screener will return and administer a mini-health exam (temperature, blood pressure, heart rate).
- Your hemoglobin level will be determined.
Donation
- A team member will escort you to a donation bed, where your arm will be examined and cleaned with a wet scrub. We’ll make sure you’re comfy, with a personal TV and blankets available upon request.
- Now your donation begins. Once the needle is in place, it usually takes less than 10 minutes to give a whole blood unit. If you are giving an automated donation—like platelets, plasma or double red cells—our team will let you know how long the procedure should take.
- During your donation, use Applied Muscle Tension, alternately contracting and relaxing muscle groups in the body. One method is to tighten the muscles of the legs and buttocks for about five seconds, relax for five to 10 seconds and repeat. Another method is to squeeze a ball in your hand.
- Once your donation is complete, the needle will be removed, and we will apply a bandage.
After Donation
- Sit and have a snack and a drink, relaxing for at least 15 minutes.
- Schedule your next donation.
- As long as you're feeling well (not lightheaded or dizzy), go out and enjoy your day. Be proud that you've helped save a life!
- Drink additional water, keep the bandage in place for four to six hours, and avoid strenuous physical activity for the remainder of the day. If you begin to feel lightheaded or dizzy, lie down until feeling better.
- The following day, log in to your Digital Donor account to view your health results and the points you've earned for the Donor Rewards Store!
Orsense FAQ:
At Gulf Coast Blood, innovation is one more way we care for our donors and the patients who depend on them. By introducing technology such as OrSense, we are making the donation experience more comfortable and donor-friendly while maintaining our strong commitment to safety and care.
The OrSense NBM-200 is a non-invasive medical device that measures pre-donation hemoglobin levels. The device was cleared by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use in blood centers and/or for noninvasive patient monitoring. The blood center performed their independent study and validation by sampling donor’s hemoglobin using the OrSense device and comparing the result with the clinical test of their venous sample (hemoglobin test using the blood from their test tube samples). Studies found the OrSense highly accurate.
Before your donation or therapeutic phlebotomy, we check your hemoglobin level to help determine whether you meet the requirements to proceed safely that day.
We want every step of your experience to be as comfortable as possible. OrSense allows us to complete an important safety screening without an additional finger puncture or blood sample.
The device fits gently around your finger and uses light and gentle pressure to estimate your hemoglobin level. The process may feel different from screening methods you have experienced in the past, but the purpose remains the same: to help protect your safety and determine whether you are eligible to proceed that day.
In an effort to elevate our donor satisfaction, the blood center decided to implement a non-invasive measurement to determine donor eligibility. Hemoglobin and hematocrit are red blood cell measurements used to determine donor eligibility. Both methods are commonly used interchangeably in medical offices. Hemoglobin is a protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen to your organs. Hematocrit is the percentage of blood volume composed of red blood cells. You can calculate your hematocrit by multiplying your hemoglobin by 3. For example: 13.0 g/dl (Hemoglobin) x 3= 39% Hematocrit.
OrSense is an FDA-cleared device used for noninvasive hemoglobin screening. It uses gentle pressure and light to estimate your hemoglobin level without a finger stick or blood sample.
OrSense NBM-200 will feel like a mini blood pressure cuff on your thumb or index finger. The test is painless and comfortable.
Continue to follow the “Iron Information” recommendations on our website to help boost your iron prior to your donation. During the hemoglobin measurement, minimize movement and warm your hands to ensure proper blood flow. Keep your arm resting comfortably on the table, and sit straight up with feet flat on the floor. These recommendations are due to the sensitivity of the device which could prolong the test or result in an error.
OrSense and laboratory analyzers use different testing technologies, so the results may not be identical.
A difference does not necessarily mean that either result is incorrect. The results may vary because they were obtained using different devices, methods, and testing conditions.
If your initial OrSense NBM-200 test doesn't show the needed levels, you will be eligible for a retest. A deferral of 24 hours will be applied if the second test also does not show the required hemoglobin levels.
No. Gulf Coast Blood reviewed donor deferral data, which shows no difference in donor deferrals when compared to the hematocrit method. The blood center continuously reviews best practices and procedures to ensure accurate donor eligibility while maintaining an adequate supply of blood and blood components for our community.
Gulf Coast Blood provides donation and therapeutic phlebotomy services within approved safety guidelines. We are not equipped to diagnose medical conditions, interpret laboratory results, or recommend changes to a treatment plan.
Please contact your healthcare provider if you have questions about your overall health, hemoglobin level, differences between screening and laboratory results, or treatment plan.
When you donate with Gulf Coast Blood, your impact goes beyond the donation itself. You help strengthen our community and advance a lifesaving mission built on innovation, compassionate service, and a commitment to an exceptional donor experience.