Donating blood typically takes about 45 minutes to 1 hour from start to finish. This includes registration, health screening, the actual blood draw, and a short recovery period with refreshments
- The actual blood donation of whole blood usually takes about 8 to 10 minutes, during which approximately a pint (about 470-500 ml) of blood is collected
- For apheresis donations (such as platelets, plasma, or double red cells), the process takes longer-typically 1.5 to 2 hours-because the blood is filtered and some components are returned to the donor
- Before donation, there is a brief medical screening including checking hemoglobin levels, blood pressure, pulse, and a confidential health questionnaire, which takes around 10 to 20 minutes
- After donation, donors are advised to rest for about 10 minutes and enjoy snacks to help recovery
Overall, donors should plan to spend about an hour at the donation site for whole blood and up to 2 hours for apheresis donations
