Plasma donation usually takes about 90 minutes to two hours. If you have a preference for which arm is used, you can share it. You will have a cuff or tourniquet placed around your upper arm to increase the blood in your veins and the skin on the inside of your elbow will be cleaned. A sterile needle will be inserted into your vein. Whole blood will be collected and then run through a machine to separate the plasma from the other components. Once the plasma has been collected, a final return of white and red blood cells will be completed followed by an infusion of a saline solution.