What to Expect When You Give Blood
A whole blood donation appointment will take about an hour, but the actual act of giving blood only takes about eight to 10 minutes. After you register and answer questions during the confidential screening, you will have your temperature, hemoglobin, blood pressure, and pulse checked.
Once you are approved to donate blood, you will be instructed to sit up with your feet elevated and your arm stretched out. Your arm will be cleaned, and yes, stuck with a (brand-new, sterile) needle, but it won't be painful — it feels more like an uncomfortable pinch, and only for a couple of seconds. You will continue to squeeze a stress ball while a bag collects your blood.
Patty recommends bringing your favourite book or movie or some music to help you relax while your blood is being collected. You will donate a unit of blood (500 milliliters), or about a pint. Your body has an average of nine to 12 pints of blood in it, and it continues to pump blood after donation; your body will replenish the lost unit within hours. When the collection is over, a nurse will remove the needle and place a bandage.