To think the staff from my local blood service

[BimboNo5]

Shouldn't be so a)unhelpful and b) downright moody and horrible when people are donating blood which helps saves lives of millions of people?
Starting at the begining, I arrived at the blood session the other evening, hadnt donated for over a year so had no idea you HAD to book and appointment. The very rude little Benny Hill lookalike man said why didnt you book an appointment? All these other people have? I explained that a while ago I tried to make an appointment online and had got no response from the blood service whatsoever and thought you could still drop in. He went on for ages about I should have booked even though i'd explained the situation. I explained i'd tried to book an appointment for a session a while back but had no response from them, he asked how long in advance i'd booked and I said it was about four weeks prior to the session and he said 'well thats NO good, you have to book far earlier than that' I tried to explain how I didnt have a job where I know that far in advance when I am off work and he said well you need to book anyway then cancel if you cant make it- err wtf i'd still not be able to donate then would I?
After escaping this little Hitler the next bad experience came from the utter unprofessionalism of the nurses. A man on the bed next to me felt ill half way through, the nurse got the manager who loudly told him in front of everyone he needed to stop donating as he'd donated 7 times and 3 of those he'd become unwell and it was a waste of everyones time. I then heard a few nurses huddling together laughing about it calling him a wuss etc etc.
I know this is an essay and ridiculous to stress about but surely they shouldn't act like they are doing you a huge favour by taking a pint of blood off you ffs?

I've been to centres with lovely staff, and others with rude ones. the local one to me is full of people donating white cells, and I was told by the guy who took my blood that unless I was prepared to donate white cells too I was basically not a very nice person. I was quite grateful when he told me not to bother coming back because there are too many times my vein has dried up and I've failed to donate a whole unit. sad, because I want to donate blood, but glad that I don't have to face him any more.

yanbu.

Pseudo, not just a wee bit of a generalisation there?

I find this quite shocking, they were really lovely with me and everyone I saw there said thank you for donating.

I think you should definitely complain, its awful that people are being treated so badly that they are actually put off giving blood.

Maybe a bit of a generalisation. But all it takes is one to ruin the reputation of the lot.

I've had mixed experiences at my local one.

I was tempted to do a thread last time I went, to rant about it, but I didn't because I didn't want to put anyone off of donating :(

Time before last a guy shouted at me and the bloke doing the paperwork because he had donated over 25 times (or whatever, can't actually remember or care) and I hadn't, so I shouldn't be able to just drop in and give blood!!!! He had more right than I did to donate yadda yadda yadda... we were both . I think he just wanted his next little badge

But last time I was really annoyed. I'd booked an appointment and they were running 1.5 hrs late but shite happens so I just waited patiently (hadn't taken a book or anything as I had an appointment and I'd never had a problem before) so I'd counted ceiling tiles, floor tiles etc.... finally get up on the bed, remind the woman that my vein is difficult but she needs to use that one there - just there... (I've had a lot of cause to know this over the years) - she says 'OK' then decides to use a different vein - it hurts like FUCK, she's missed the vein, wiggles the needle around in my arm, I almost pass out with the pain so she removes the needle. She half mumbles an apology. I say 'It's OK, don't worry - but you need to use this vein - there x' and she says 'No, I can't do it now - I can only attempt it once' ... I tried to convince her otherwise but she wasn't having it.

So a whole evening wasted, not able to donate, because this woman did not listen to what I said. My arm hurt for 2 days and was badly bruised for over a week and I have to go back. I'm going again this week & I'm dreading it... I hope it's better this time :(

However, no matter what I go through, I know it's nothing compared to what someone who needs it has been through :(

My blood donations have been fine, staff nice and friendly. The only hitch I have had so far was a throwaway comment I made about the pollen count and the fact my eyes were a bit streamy. The man looked really worried and had to call his supervisor to see if it was ok to donate. Once I assured them I had not taken antihistamines they cleared me to donate, just as well, I'm a gusher and get a pint out in a few minutes. It's almost a waste of time bringing a book!

The ones that come to our local town hall every couple of months are very rude as well. They do nothing to make you feel comfortable at all, and the appointments system is a joke.

At our one, you can only make appointments in that late afternoon, but they are always too close to school pick up time, so no good for me. I tell them that every time they phone, and when I turn up at the earlier drop in part of the session and they bug me to book, I tell them the same. Nothing ever changes.

There are volunteers from the local WI I think that go and give out the drinks and biscuits, and sometimes they make cake. They are the reason I keep going. Apart from the people that need the blood of course!

Do the staff realise that by trying to donate you are actually kind of a hero?

If anyone in the Sheffield area has ever wondered about donating, I cannot recommend the full-time centre near the Cathedral enough. Their policy on appointments is odd, sometimes you have to book, sometimes you cannot. But I've always been able to check online a week or so in advance. But the staff have always been, without exception, lovely.

Oh and they're open until about 7pm on a Tuesday and Thursday, which is extremely helpful if you work office hours!

It make me sasd that people have had such negative experiences. I find the staff at my local permanant site great. (plymouth). The staff are positive and friendly and you can see there is a good team spirit. It does make it an enjoyable experience as well as a positive one and I aim to become a platelet doner next year when dd2 is at school full time.