Most people feel well during and after giving blood.
Occasionally, though, some donors feel weak and nauseous. The nurse then cleanses your arm with antiseptic for about one minute, to eliminate any risk of infection. A new, sterile needle is inserted in your arm and attached to a sterile plastic collection bag that will hold about 450 ml of your blood. During the collection procedure, the bag is placed on an agitator, to prevent clot formation. When the bag is full, we apply a sterile gauze compress to your arm after withdrawing the needle.