The Red Cross Blood Drive at UNMC on Thursday, March 24, will be among the first drives in Omaha to use a new, more efficient process of questioning potential donors.
The process should provide a more positive experience for donors, increasing the likelihood that they will donate blood again, said Peter Pellerito, Center for Healthy Living fitness specialist and the UNMC liaison for the blood drives.
“I think that donors, once they are used to the new process, will find it more user-friendly,” Pellerito said. He noted that the Red Cross will be measuring potential donors’ blood pressure, temperature and hematocrit before asking the screening questions. Therefore, those who are unable to participate because of these factors will be excluded before having to answer any questions.
Another improvement with the improved process are new questions that are simpler and easier to understand, which will allow donors to answer them more accurately and more quickly.
The Red Cross also notes that more accurate answers will increase the likelihood that ineligible donors will be deferred, helping to ensure the safety of the blood supply; and that those answers will reduce the likelihood that eligible donors will be unnecessarily deferred, which will increase collections.
Beginning Monday, March 21, the Red Cross will switch to the universal donor health history questionnaire, where the questions are grouped by time frame and topic. At that time, the Red Cross also will change its procedure to direct oral questioning, where the historian will ask and document the donor’s responses.
In addition, changes in eligibility criteria include the rules for deferral regarding tattoos and travel. The revised criteria may allow the Red Cross to reinstate some previously ineligible donors.
For the March 24 drive, about three dozen potential appointment times remain available. UNMC’s goal for the drive is to collect 71 units of usable blood. Those interested on giving blood can click here to schedule an appointment time.
The following individuals recently achieved gallon levels of blood donation:
Lana Tribble, six gallons; Karen Graser, two gallons; Timothy Henning, two gallons; Jackie Preheim, two gallons; Susan Kraft Mann; one gallon; and James Stageman, one gallon.