Making a donation is typically a great thing to do. Whether you’re delivering boxes of non-perishables to the food bank or participating in your local blood drive, it feels great to give back to the community. Sometimes, you can even get paid for your contributions. But the check should be a bonus, rather than your sole motivation.
One woman who works at a plasma donation center recently posted a story on Reddit about one of the most entitled characters she’s encountered at work. So below, you’ll find all of the details, as well as some of the replies amused readers shared.
Donating plasma can be a great way to give back to your community
Woman preparing for plasma donation, medical staff applying tourniquet, highlighting plasma donation and staff interaction
But when one woman was deemed ineligible to donate, she refused to take no for an answer
Text from a plasma donation center employee explaining payment policies and addressing entitlement and accusations of racism.
Text about plasma donation safety, payment denial, and staff’s authority amid woman’s plasma donation dispute.
Woman denied plasma donation reacting angrily and accusing staff of racism during a heated confrontation.
Woman denied plasma donation being screened with vitals check and blood sample taken by coworker.
Woman with braided hair expressing frustration and anger after being denied plasma donation and accusing staff of racism.
Woman denied plasma donation argues with staff after vitals retake, demanding payment and accusing racism at donation center.
Woman denied plasma donation confronts staff, demands payment, and accuses them of racism during dispute over rules.
Text conversation screenshot showing a woman denied plasma donation demanding payment and accusing staff of racism.
Woman denied plasma donation looking upset and gesturing while talking on a smartphone at home.
Text excerpt describing a woman denied plasma donation who accuses staff of racism and demands payment.
Woman denied plasma donation demands payment, accuses staff of racism over blood measurement criteria.
Woman denied plasma donation demands payment and accuses staff of racism during a private discussion at the donation center.
Woman in beige suit and glasses sitting on black chair, holding pen and notebook, appearing concerned during discussion.
Text explaining plasma donation denial due to out of range measurement, with mention of accusations of racism by woman.
Text conversation showing a woman denied plasma donation disputing measurement and accusing staff of racism.
Text excerpt showing a woman denied plasma donation demanding payment and accusing staff of racism while speaking on the phone.
Text excerpt about a woman denied plasma donation demanding payment and accusing staff of racism.
Woman denied plasma donation stands with arms crossed wearing white coat and stethoscope, conveying tension and frustration.
Later, the author clarified several details about the situation
Text excerpt explaining a woman’s plasma donation, donor bonus rules, and missed payment due to donation timing.
Text excerpt discussing the challenges of plasma donation, payment, and employment in the plasma donation industry.
Text excerpt from a woman denied plasma donation, expressing anger and mentioning consequences of her actions and accusations of racism.
Text explaining plasma donors refusing payment if they do not actually donate plasma, addressing payment and deferral issues.
Medical professional checking a patient’s wrist during plasma donation amid allegations of racism and payment demands.
Individuals must meet strict criteria in order to donate plasma
Donating plasma can save a person’s life. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services , 130 plasma donations will treat someone with primary immunodeficiency for an entire year. And 1,200 donations will take care of an individual with hemophilia for a year. Plasma is also used for tetanus and rabies treatment, and pregnant women with Rh sensitization rely on it as well.
So who exactly is eligible to donate plasma? PlasmaSource notes on their site that donors must be between 18 and 69 years old and weigh at least 110 pounds. They must be in good physical health and test negative for any transmissible infectious diseases. It’s also crucial that they disclose all of their current medical conditions and share any medications they’re currently taking.
Donors must then complete a health screening and physical exam to check their blood pressure, pulse, temperature, protein levels and ensure they don’t have anemia. If a donor has recently given birth, they must be at least six months postpartum, and all donors must avoid taking aspirin for at least 48 hours prior to giving plasma.
On the morning that someone plans to donate plasma, WebMD recommends having a healthy breakfast and drinking lots of liquids but avoiding coffee, tea and alcohol. It’s best to avoid oily and greasy foods too, as these can impact the quality of a person’s plasma.
As for what donors can expect during the process, WebMD says the entire appointment should take approximately 90 minutes. This time will include registration, screening and the donation, which typically lasts for about 25 minutes. Afterwards, donors should have a snack and drink plenty of fluids, then take it easy for the rest of the day.
It’s also important to note that, in the United States, plasma can only be used after a donor gives at least twice . So donors must return to the same center within 6 months after their first donation to ensure that their plasma is safe.
Handshake between two people exchanging cash, illustrating a dispute over plasma donation payment and accusations of racism.
Some people question the ethics of paying donors to give plasma
Now, there’s no question that plasma centers are in need of donations . And they help hundreds of thousands of people each year. But not everyone supports the idea of paying donors for their plasma, as this can get into murky ethical territory.
But Emily Gallagher, Assistant Professor of Finance at CU Boulder, argues that these donation centers sometimes prey on low-income individuals who are desperate for extra cash .
“The more payday lenders and pawn shops that are in a local area, the more likely that a plasma center will soon open there,” Gallagher says. “It probably is the case that when plasma centers are analyzing where to open, the prevalence of these types of alternative lenders is a good signal of a market to enter.”
She also worries about the health of those who donate frequently. “Nobody actually knows what the longer-term health costs of doing this twice per week might be,” Gallagher noted.
So if you plan on donating plasma, it’s probably a good idea to do so out of the kindness of your heart, rather than because you have no other way to pay rent on time.
Many readers chimed in with similar stories of their own, and the author joined in on the conversation
Text conversation about plasma donation experiences, milkshakes after donating, and concerns over being denied donation.
Text conversation about challenges in donating plasma and blood, mentioning a woman denied plasma donation and accusing staff of racism.
Woman denied plasma donation demands payment and accuses staff of racism during medical donation discussion.
Screenshot of a Reddit discussion about plasma donation challenges, mentioning denial and accusations related to racism.
Comment discussing US blood supply regulation by the Food and Drug Administration amid plasma donation and racism claims.
Online comment discussing experiences with plasma donation, mentioning issues like ID problems and donor frustrations.
Text post discussing plasma donation experiences, mentioning woman denied plasma donation and accusations of racism.
Woman denied plasma donation demands payment and accuses donation center staff of racism during visit.
Comment discussing frustration of plasma donation deferral, payment issues, and accusations of racism by staff.
Comment discussing challenges of working in a law office, client expectations, and legal process boundaries.
Woman denied plasma donation demands payment and accuses staff of racism in a heated exchange at donation center.
Some shared support for the employee as well
Red-haired woman denied plasma donation demands payment and accuses medical staff of racism during hospital visit.
Screenshot of an online discussion with a user claiming racism and payment demand after being denied plasma donation.
Screenshot of an online discussion about plasma donation privacy concerns and accusations of racism by staff.
Comment discussing the reality of plasma donation, including payment and its role as a vital resource for many people.
Comment accusing woman of Karen behavior and denial of blood or plasma donation due to alleged Karenism and racism claims.
Comment stating inability to discuss patient information due to HIPAA, related to woman denied plasma donation demands and racism accusations.
Comment discussing plasma donation denial, payment demands, and accusations of staff racism based on blood work and test factors.
However, others thought that the author could have been more empathetic
Comment discussing compassion for people denied plasma donation, highlighting harsh lives and plasma donation issues.
Commenter discussing woman denied plasma donation and questioning payment and accusations of racism in the staff.
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