CSL Plasma

Just came back from CSL Plasma and was turned away because of so called poor veins !
I m in perfect health, have NEVER used ANY drugs and I previously donated there a couple of years ago. They said they could only find one vein and they need at least two. I have not gained any weight in the last two years and I am not overweight(6ft, 190lbs).
I do believe the cold weather had an effect on my veins(30 degrees outside) but there were people being allowed to donate that were OBVIOUSLY overweight and you would have trouble seeing their veins with an X-ray!!

Now how are staff finding veins buried under layers upon layers of fat and they can t find my veins? Who is training these people? Aren t they supposed to be trained to find veins regardless of the circumstance?

My advise to anyone wanting to donate there is to make sure you are warmed well before allowing them to check your veins or you ll be banned with no opportunity to return at a later or warmer time.

This is long but I do suggest you read it before you go there....and there is much I am leaving out so it won't be even longer.

Just came back from my second and last visit to CSL Plasma. The first time was bad enough, but I went back because they need a second visit before they can use your plasma. Also, I was hoping my problems on the first visit were a fluke, but this time it was far worse.

I was told when I walked in that I had to see the nurse before my donation. I went into his office and he looked at me and said, why are you here. I said I don't know. He looked me up and found that they had deferred me because of a tooth extraction. (Yes, they had taken my plasma two days before, even though they had literally just put me on their deferred list.) I told him that I had to explain several times during my first visit that the tooth extraction was four months ago, not a couple of weeks or days (depending on who you talk to) which would exclude me. He said he fixed it in the system - I will find out if and when I try to donate plasma elsewhere if he managed to actually fix it. I might not be able to do this again even though I am in great health.

Ten minutes into the donation, my arm is turning bright red. A nurse eventually comes over, his eyes pop out and he looks around for help. Several nurses come and only after several minutes do they realize the arm pressure band is on too tight. After refitting the band, the needle is re-inserted for some reason. My arm becomes red again, and very swollen. A nurse stares at it and looks around, others come and press on my arm with their fingers, eventually someone says the needle was inserted wrong. Then they all leave.

Several minutes later, I manage to flag a nurse down again and ask him if I am okay. He literally nods and then shakes his head. I ask for some clarification several times and get none. Other patients are looking over with wide eyes. A female nurse comes over and takes out the needle. He applies a bandage to my arm and wraps the gauze around way too tight. I calmly tell him it feels too tight and he throws the other ends of the gauze at the other nurse, barks at her to do it and walks away.

I am informed they are going to continue to procedure in my other arm. I am very nervous at this point and tell her so, and ask to just get my red blood cells back so I can leave. She informs me I can't leave until they get all the plasma they need. No one would tell me what went wrong with the other arm - it was like being in the Twilight Zone. She did a great job with the other arm, but I would occasionally ask people passing by if everything was going alright as my hand was numb. They were very irritated and condescending; I really don't know what I did to deserve the attitude. Anyone else would have been yelling by this point.

I really did leave quite a bit out of this review. I am writing this because I want people to know what to expect from this place. They are highly disorganized and do not communicate with each other, but worse, are very rude and insensitive. I will not go there again out of fear for my physical safety; also because I need a lot more than 50 bucks to justify being treated like this.

All the staff there are very professional with very good humor and nice personality im crushing on the new short lightskinned lady there she's always so nice and curtious to me she blushes everytime our eyes meet she's awesome.

I have donated at other centers in the past 5 years, my first experience at CSL went fine until the next day I have a nasty bruise on my arm and will not be able to donate again till this goes away.

Just came back here after a few months because i liked the staff and it took 3 1/2 hrs and my arm is killinf me....they are way short staffed, slow, unorganized and ignore you when you need help....smh...why did i switch back here....talecris might have a dedicated donor

All of the employees are very unprofessional and I can't believe I even trusted them to stick a needle in my arm. The female staff gossips on the service floor and is more worried about flirting with donors than taking care of business. A process that should take less than an hour is prolonged because they take their sweet time doing everything. You can tell that this place hires anyone that applies. I wouldn't recommend anyone donate plasma there.

I tried to call for information on donating plasma,and the woman who answered the phone hung up on me.when i called back to confront her about her behavior she copped an attitude with me and denied it.well they can stick it and not in their arm.or mine

When you first walk in if your lucky to see someone at the front desk, they are never happy to see anyone and don't even think about needing help from them because lord knows that's not why they are there. I have not been to a bother on anyone at their place of business before but here if the computer goes down (they always do! ) or you ask a question about what to do next the unfriendly staff will see to it you feel very unwelcome for your visit. The manager which are two ladies are just as bad and I guess set then tone for the staff because you will not be getting a

I had a bowl brake and the denied me for 8 weeks because of loss of blood. But I felt fine. Then i get denied for that where i can no longer donate. DON'T EVER GO THERE THEY ARE UNFAIR. AND BEFORE THIS HAPPEND EVERY MACHINE I GOT ON WOULD MESS UP. BLOOD GOING INTO THE BOTTLE. THEY ONLY GIVE YOU 50 FOR THE FIRST FIVE TIME THEN 20 THE FIRST TIME IN A WEEK AND 35 THE NEXT TIME THAT WEEK.