Blood Donor Educational Materials:
To Ensure a Safe Blood Donation
Thank you for coming in today! This information sheet explains how you can help us make the donation
process safe for you and the patients who receive your blood. PLEASE READ THIS INFORMATION
BEFORE YOU DONATE! If you have any questions, please ask our staff. Accuracy and honesty are
essential! Your complete honesty in answering all the questions is very important for the safety of
patients who receive your blood. All information you provide will remain confidential.
Not everyone can donate blood
1、Anyone who meets any of the following descriptions or have engaged in any of the following activities should not
donate blood or blood components as the recipient maybe infected by the donated blood. If you:
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Have AIDS or have ever had a positive HIV test
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Had sexual contact in the past 12 months with person may have HIV
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Are a male who had sexual contact with another male
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Have ever taken money, drugs or other payment for sex in the past 12 months; Had many sexual partners
during the same time period
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Have ever had syphilis, gonorrhea, genital herpes, condyloma acuminatum and other venereal diseases
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Have ever used needles to take drugs
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Have long-term used clotting factor concentrates
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Have hepatitis B or C or are a virus carrier
2. Anyone who meets any of the following descriptions will be deferred from donating blood. If you:
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Had a cold or acute gastroenteritis in the past week
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Had tooth extraction in the past two weeks
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Have taken aspirin or anything that has aspirin in it in the past 5 days
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Are pregnant or had an abortion within the past 6 months
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Gave birth within the past 12 months
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Have a menstrual cycle 3 days before or after

Had a body piercing or eyebrow embroidery in the past 12 months
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Had a blood transfusion of whole blood or component or blood products in the past 12 months
Medical treatment
If you went to the clinic recently and are being treated or waiting for the examination results, you will be deferred from
donating blood.
Symptoms of Hepatitis
About 70 percent of those infected will not have any symptoms. A few people experience upset stomach, poor
appetite, fatigue and nausea. Serious cases symptoms include dark brown urine, jaundice and epigastric discomfort.
The early signs or symptoms of HIV/AIDS

Lasting fever , night sweats, swollen lymph nodes all over the body
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Unexplained weight loss of more than 10 percent in the past 3 months
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Cough that will not go away or shortness of breath
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Diarrhea that will not go away even treated by antibiotic
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White spots or unusual sores in your mouth
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Blue or purple spots in your mouth or skin
Blood donation process

You will be asked to show your identification (Hong Kong-Macau pass, mainland travel permit for Taiwan
residents or passport)

Inquire blood donation history and register the donor’s information on the computer
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Ask the donor to read and understand “Blood Donation Notification”

When you sign in, you will be asked to complete a donor registration form
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Ask you some questions about your health; take your blood pressure and pulse
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Take a small blood sample to screen the hemoglobin, ALT and HBsAg
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If all the above is OK, you can donate blood now.
Pre-donation
Please take bland diet. Avoid oily food, meat, fish, egg and milk before donating as certain food might affect the
quality of your blood; Sleep well; eat before the blood donation to prevent post-donation reactions such as dizziness,
sweating etc.; Read “Blood Donor Educational Materials” for methods to reduce post-donation reaction.
Blood donation
Maintain positive mood; Put your arm in a good place to make the blood flow fluent; Keep quiet and relax; please
keep your arm still during the blood donation. Do not hesitate to tell our staff if you feel uncomfortable. After your arm
is cleaned with an antiseptic, you will proceed to a donor chair. A nurse will use a blood donation kit to draw blood
from a vein in your arm. If you are allergic to iodine, be sure to tell the nurse at this point. During the donation process,
you will donate one or two unit(s) of blood, which takes less than ten minutes.
Post-donation
After donating, it is recommended that you put pressure on the puncture site for 10 minutes and rest for 20 minutes in
the canteen. During the rest period, you will receive refreshments. Please stay in the canteen until you feel well
enough to leave. It is recommended that you increase your fluid intake for the next 24 to 48 hours and avoid
strenuous physical activities, heavy lifting or pulling with the donation arm for the next 24hours. Please eat well
balanced meals for the next 24 hours. Smoking and alcohol consumption is not recommended.
Although donors seldom experience discomfort after donating, some donors may experience minor discomfort. If you
feel light-headed, lie down until the feeling passes. If bleeding occurs after the donation, apply pressure to the site
and raise your arm for three to five minutes. If bruising or bleeding appears under the skin, apply a cold pack
periodically to the bruised area during the first 24 hours, and then apply warm, moist heat pack. The bruise will go
away in one to three weeks.
If you have any questions concerning your donation or experience any problems, please call us. Tel: 021-62758257
Significance of blood test
The purpose of blood test in blood donation is to ensure the blood is safe for transfusion and should not be used as a
replacement for a formal blood test. Even if the result is positive, it does not necessarily mean you are positive for the
disease. If you want to make sure whether you have HIV, syphilis or other diseases, you should see a doctor for
further consultation.
About the window period
The window period is the time between first infection and when the test can reliably detect the antibodies of that
infection. During the window period, although the test cannot detect the antibodies, it is still contagious. You can
spread HIV or syphilis to someone else through blood transfusion even if you feel well and have a negative test.
About the incubation period
Incubation period is the time between exposure to a pathogen and when symptoms and signs are first apparent.
Different pathogen has different incubation: bacterial dysentery for 7 days, measles for 28 days, typhoid fever for 60
days, and AIDS for more than 10 years. You can spread the pathogen to someone else through blood transfusion
even if you have no symptoms.