Frequently asked questions

Your questions may be answered on our eligibility page. If you have a specific question regarding your eligibility to donate blood and would like to discuss it with someone, you can email [email protected]  or call 1-800-366-2831, extension 2543.

You can find details on different types of donations here. The most common is a whole blood donation, which usually takes less than one hour in total. You can do apheresis donations of platelets, plasma, or double red cells – a process that takes 90 – 120 minutes. We can help you determine what works best for you, and how your donation can help patients most.

You can find a list of centers here. All of our centers have parking onsite or nearby.

Or you can find current listings of mobile drives here — so you can donate near where you live, work or go to school.

Yes, recent trips or a history of travel to some regions can make you ineligible to donate. You can find out more here.

Most people in general good health can donate, but some medical conditions or events in your medical history might prevent a person from being a donor. For information about whether a medical condition impacts your ability to donate, you can learn more here. Or you can call email or call privately to have your question answered. Email [email protected]  or call 1-800-366-2831, extension 2543.

There are some minimum weight limits that can affect your ability to donate. You can find more information here.

For some vaccinations there might be a waiting period before you can donate. You can learn more here.

For antibiotics, you need to wait 7 days after you have completed your prescription before you can donate. For many over the counter medications, you can still donate. You can learn more here.

Get a good night’s sleep. Eat a healthy meal, and drink water to stay hydrated. Be in good health: if you have a flu or cold, wait until you’re back to normal before donating.

Occasionally, people feel faint during or after donation — most often the first time they donate. Our people are there to keep you safe. Many people who feel faint the first time come back again many times as regular donors.

Drink extra fluids and avoid alcohol for the next 24 hours. Also, do not perform any heavy lifting or vigorous exercise for the rest of the day. Keep the bandage on your arm for at least 4 hours.

Yes, online appointments can be schedule here. Registering online will make it easy to schedule appointments and keep your contact information up to date.

Yes, donor cards are available at our centers and blood drives. The next time you donate, please request a card and we will print it out when you register to donate.

If you prefer to have a card mailed to you, or a printable version emailed to you, please fill out the online donor card request form here.

You can donate whole blood once every 56 days. Platelet and plasma donations take 90 minutes to 2 hours, but you can give much more frequently. Double red cells can be donated every 4 months. You can learn more here.

Yes, once you have set up your account you can go online and update your information. You can also send your updated contact information to [email protected].

Yes, sign up for the email reminders here. We will introduce a text reminder feature soon.

Learn more about organizing a blood drive here.

Contact one of our donor recruitment representatives. You can find their contact information here.

Yes, financial contributions are vital in keeping BloodworksNW on the cutting edge of research. Learn more about giving a financial gift here.

You can find out more about how iron impacts blood donation here.

Sometimes there are special considerations that impact donation like international health issues. Go here to find out if there are any issues that are creating special considerations for donation.