My recent experience

[Jon G]

Some time early this month, I was due for my platelet donation. At about 9+am in the morning, I called HSA to check if it was possible for me to do a platelet donation at about 11am. The staff told me it was fully booked, and the earliest I could do was 2pm. I found it curious that at 11am, the Apheresis suite would be fully booked. However, fair enough, since mine was pretty much last minute.

I asked about whole blood at about 12, and he told me whole blood was fine.

So I came down to HSA at about 11.45. For the very first time, I had to actually tell the counter staff that I was here for blood donation. (From past experience, the staff would usually greet anyone approaching the counter and ask if he/she is here to donate blood). She handed me a form, and I handed her my card. She didn't offer a pen (No big deal, since the pens are right in front of me anyway, but still, from past experience, the staff would hand me the form along with a pen).

The Medical Officer who saw me was, well, I wouldn't say he was unfriendly, but he wasn't friendly either. I remember this female MO I saw the previous few times, and she was really friendly. This MO was very mechanical, just doing his job.

The nurse that did the procedure, I believe she was a foreigner. Like the MO, she was very mechanical. Yes, she greeted me, thanked me for donating blood, asked the necessary questions, but it was so robotic. Not a smile on her face.

I understand at that time was very busy, and the nurses were running all over the place with the never-ending donors streaming in.

Yet, across me, a local (perhaps more senior?) nurse attended to another donor (he was dumped in the seat for probably 5 to 10 minutes before the nurse attended to him). And she was just as friendly as I recalled Bloodbank nurses to be. Even the Vietnamese (?) nurses, with their limited English vocabulary, were friendlier than that nurse who attended to me.

Well, I had been donating platelets and plasma the past few times, so maybe things have changed for the whold blood donation side... Or maybe that day was a fluke.

[jt]

I found most of the MO are pretty good, including those from SAF. There is Dr Lawrence Khong and the Punjabi lady who are careful in questioning.

But some younger ones need to be trained in asking questions less emotionally.

The nurses are fine. Be they locals or foreigners includng the Myanmese.

Maybe yours was fluke, or the nurse in question was having a bad day
ala The Bangles: Just another Maniac Monday...

[momo_siao]

just sharing a comment here. yesterday i went at 530 timing, it took me about 10min of waitin inside the donation room. and i feel that there is a shortage of staff yesterday and it seem like they are unable to handle the load.

I am glad and happy to see that during that timing the place is nearly full with quite a number of first time donor. As a donor, especially yesterday i saw that 2 of the first time donor are very young couple, below 18 one of them, very happy to see they take the first step toward it. Maybe they can encourage young people like young couple to donate by organisating event for them, as if both come together, at least there is someone to support each another, to keep them coming back.

And one question which i find it funny, since there is this YDC, maybe the staff there should introduce this club to young donor, as i went HSA almost all my donation none of them is promoting it to people about any of the YDC or BDC. hope they can do something on this like after donation the information card on next donation, maybe they can print brochure and give it along?

[Shan Xue]

Some time early this month, I was due for my platelet donation. At about 9+am in the morning, I called HSA to check if it was possible for me to do a platelet donation at about 11am. The staff told me it was fully booked, and the earliest I could do was 2pm. I found it curious that at 11am, the Apheresis suite would be fully booked. However, fair enough, since mine was pretty much last minute.

I asked about whole blood at about 12, and he told me whole blood was fine..

Appointments for platelet donation are sometimes fully booked for the day and often for the next consecutive four Saturdays. There are no apheresis donations on sunday. The reason is because each platelet donation takes 1 to 2 hours and donors often book appointments days or even weeks in advance. Walk in for platelet donation is still possible for weekdays. For those who want to donate on Saturday, it is better to book an appointment in advance or call the blood bank to check for vacanies.