What Is It?
Power red cell donation is similar to a whole blood donation, except a special machine is used to allow you to safely donate two units of red blood cells during one donation while returning your plasma and platelets to you.
Who is eligible?
| Q: | Is your blood type A negative, B negative, O positive or O negative? |
| Q: | MALES: Are you at least 5’1″ tall and do you weigh at least 130lbs? |
| Q: | FEMALES: Are you at least 5’3″ tall and do you weigh at least 150lbs? |
| Q: | Can you spare an extra 30 minutes? |
If you answered YES! to each of these questions, you may be eligible to be one of our automated donors.
How Is a Power Red Cell Donation Different?
During your power red cell donation, blood is drawn from one arm and drawn through a sterile, single-use needle set to a machine. The machine separates and collects two units of red cells and then safely returns the remaining blood components, along with some saline, back to you through the same arm. A video guide to the process can be found at the American Red Cross website.
The Benefits
- Save time and make your donation go further: If you are extremely busy, committed to donating blood and an eligible A, AB, B, or O negative donor, power red cell donation may be ideal for you. Each procedure lets you give more of the product that is needed most by patients. Power red cell donation takes about 20-30 minutes longer than a whole blood donation and you can donate approximately every four months.
- Feel better: With all of your platelets and plasma returned to you along with some saline, you don’t lose the liquid portion of your blood and may feel more hydrated after your donation.