Red Cross Plasma Donation Explained by Medical Student
I donated plasma through the Australian Red Cross Blood Service.
As a future doctor I will rely on donors like you to be able to provide life-saving treatments for my patients.
I made this video to explain the process of plasma donation so that potential donors have a better understanding of what is involved. You may feel blood donation to be a bit daunting so I hope this video shows you what to expect and that it is not too scary.
If you would like to learn more please visit
I have no affiliation with Australian Red Cross.
to all who donated, thank you so much. you have saved many lives. i unfortunately cannot donate as i am anemic and a leukemia patient. however i have survived on many transfusions that made me feel a lot better.
God bless you , stay strong
I hope your well.
i really like your pfp
I’m a proud plasma donor myself!! Yes I hate needles but small price to pay for saving lives
Ashley B what a sweetheart
the strongest sacrifices require the strongest wills
small price to pay for salvation
How much can you make per donation?
same !!
been donating 2 times a week for the past 2 months, though the money from donating is rather nice, it’s a great feeling knowing that your plasma is going into life saving research and medicines
@Lily Dell-Rennie In australia, I think they take more out at a time though. In the US, they do one half vial one day, other half another day, and they call the second the ‘full donation’. Which is why they’ll give like $20 for the first half and then $60 for the second so you come back to give the second half.
In Australia you can’t donate that often there is a limited and also people don’t get paid here
Whenever you are done with your donation, the machine pumps your blood back and saline along with it. The saline is cold, and you can feel it traveling up your arm vein, you feel this cool sensation move up into your shoulders. Pretty interesting experience.
To be perfectly honest I’m afraid of needles, and the worst part of the whole thing for me was feeling faint and a bit overwhelmed. I was so close to fully fainting but they fanned me off, gave me some juice and I felt much better. I’m wondering if my mistake was peaking at my donation coming out and filling the bag, because I felt okay before then and it was half way through that I decided to look.
So advice to people if you’re a fainter during blood tests, please don’t look cause I’ve noticed both times I’ve almost fainted in blood drawing situations is when I’ve looked at it.
P.s this was a full blood donation for me
I know this is an old video but thanks so much for posting. I googled this to try and get over my fear of blood/bodily fluids. My stomach is upset after watching this video, but I forced myself to look at most of the video (the plasma did make me gag a lot though). But, I’m trying to make myself donate soon because I want to help people and I know that I can’t let my fear of blood be the only reason for my not helping to save lives.
I’m actually donating plasma for the first time on Tuesday thank you for showing this video learning how and what to expect so not making it so scary appreciate it
The needle looks big, but I honestly don’t think it’s any worse than a standard blood test (that has a smaller needle). It might be because the nurses that do this are amazing at what they do and have a lot of experiense 🙂
Donating blood makes you feel like a hero, even if it just a pint of blood it can help save lifes.
Or feed a vampire 😮
They aren’t nurses 99 percent of the time.
Atleast in the US
@Gerald Claps yeah, I’m from Sweden. I think it’s different here ? Though I’m not a nurse so I’m not entirely sure
Donating plasma is great for a student like me first I love to help people as much as possible and then that extra money really goes a long way when your working a minimum wage job and need groceries and stuff
Thank you for posting this. I’m donating plasma today and I have a phobia of needles so it’s good to see the process beforehand.
Curious to know how it was? Did the process hurt? did you feel dizzy afterwards? Did it effect you for days afterwards etc?
I’ve had blood drawn since I was literally days old, so I’ll definitely consider blood donation once I turn 16. I’m not squeamish about needles at all, and I like doing whatever I can to help others.
I’ll be donating plasma this weekend, I didn’t really understand how it would go so thanks for explaining this!
A wonderful and informative video for an equally wonderful cause! I donate whole blood. I live in the UK. I understand that when a person donates whole blood, the components are separated by a machine in the laboratory and the red blood cells are just left on their own. We even get a text telling us which hospital our blood has been sent to.
Its the same here in Australia. We r getting a sms with all those details.
I’m too small to donate plasma apparently, but I donate blood regularly. It’s not scary, the only pain is just a small pinch and then it’s over, and I’ve never felt faint or anything. Just do it, folks!
The nurses are very helpful and attentive, if you have questions or need anything just ask they will most likely help you. I am afraid of needles so I tell them that, and ask if they could tell me when they start, some would ask for the opposite, to each To Their Own.
Late to the comment section but I donated for the first time the other day and it was definitely an experience.. I’ve NEVER had an IV before this! I’m generally afraid of needles but my experience really wasn’t bad at all! I felt fairly lightheaded as the nurse told me that I filled a bag (took me less than 3 minutes!) And I sat in recovery for about 15 minutes.. I think I’ll go again when I’m able to. I want the one gallon pin!
Jacob Berman How was your arm if you don’t mind me asking? Do you have any bruising?
I have universal blood…
Coming from someone who has had 5 kids and had needles inserted, piercings and tattoos, there’s something about this needle that gets me.
Its larger than normal and the way it’s cut at an angle makes it look even larger.
I have tried to donate but I get faint if I see that needle ?
I know I’ll be fine, I know it’s only going to hurt a little for a short amount of time but my brain and body are like “nope.. Not happening”
also the weird RAISE in the skin after the doctor puts the needle in.
That did not look like a 17G..? I work at a plasma center and I saw that thing and was like ?! Lol And this center doesn’t look like they have proper SOPs (standard operating procedures) in action?! No lab coats, bare handedly touching things etc…? Got anxious watching this, and I do this about 50-70 times a day… But the snacks at the end… ?? We only give them a small Gatorade if they get cut off too soon and or have a reaction.. I dug that part. Lol
That’s a serious needle. I get blood taken all the time but that’s intimidating
Most people get a bigger needle
Sameeeee
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My friend wants me to donate plasma with her but after seeing how thick that needle is, I’m good ???
@Jass Reyes I donated blood today. Not plasma specifically but just blood. It doesn’t hurt like you think it will. I barely felt it. Its actually more pain getting pulled out than stuck in. You’ll be fine I’m sure
Excellent explanation. I gave for about a year (for pay), and now I switched to whole blood donation every two months (for free).