Feeling nervous?

Lots of people are nervous around needles — including a lot of our donors. Let our team know when you arrive that you’re nervous. They’re very experienced and can talk you through the process as well as provide some tips.

During a blood donation, the needle is only in for 10 minutes, and with a plasma donation, it usually takes up to 45 minutes. Most donors report feeling a bit of a pinch but are otherwise fine. You can learn more about the different donations here.

If you need a little distraction while you donate, we suggest bringing a book, listening to a podcast, catching up on your favourite series, or sharing your moment as a lifesaver on socials. 

You might also find that practising deep breathing, mindfulness or chatting to other donors really helpful.

And if you want a reminder of why others like you show up to save lives, there are over 15,000 reasons why Aussies donate, and every one is special. Take a moment to think about what drives you, or find out why others give. Focusing on what matters to you can be your very own source of courage!

We’re in healthcare. We follow the same standard of hygiene you would expect at a hospital, and are held to high standards by the Therapeutic Goods Administration.

We have always adhered to strict sanitation protocols, including wearing gloves, wiping down surfaces after every donation and using single-use sterile collection kits for every donation. We also ask donors who are unwell to wait until they’re better before they donate.

Let us know if you have any concerns and we can talk you through any specifics.

Some people can feel light-headed or dizzy after donating, but it goes away, and our team will be here to look after you if that happens.

Preparing well can help combat this, so make sure you drink lots of water, eat a meal before coming in and not rush to get up after you donate.

Practising mindfulness, deep breathing or muscle tensing exercises while you donate can also be helpful.

We’ll give you more information at your donation but rest assured, our team will be here to support you and if it does happen once to you, it doesn’t mean it will happen again.

Not sure what you need to do before, or on, the day? Let us break it down for you.

Before your donation:

• Drink plenty of fluids – 10 glasses for men or 8 glasses for women
• Take it easy the day before and get a good night’s sleep
• Eat a meal before coming in
• Find out the route to your donor centre so you know where you’re going on the day.

At the donor centre:

• Drink two glasses of water while waiting for your interview
• Avoid standing up for a long time or overheating
• Practise Applied Muscle Tension (AMT) exercises before and after donating. Our team can provide an instruction card and you can see what it looks like in this video.
• Stay seated after your donation to recover
• Take your time as you enjoy some snacks in the refreshment area.

If you’d like more information about what you can do before and after your donation, you can learn more here.

We take privacy extremely seriously. We collect personal and health information to keep donors and patients safe, and we’re committed to protecting it. We only disclose your information when required by law or for essential health and safety purposes, and we’ll always let you know how your data is used or shared.

Some of the information we collect includes your contact details, medical history and travel history. You can request access to your personal information and to correct it at any time. When you do so, we’ll verify your identity to make sure we’re speaking with the right person.

To protect your privacy in our donor centres, we’ll talk through personal information, such as your donor questionnaire, with you in a private room, ensuring your answers and discussions stay confidential and aren’t overheard by others.

Read our full privacy policy here