After giving blood
Advice
After the donation, you need to:
- rest and drink 500 ml of water or juice;
- apply pressure to the puncture site for about five minutes to stop any bleeding;
- keep the bandage on the puncture site for six hours;
- avoid any intense activity for six to eight hours (blood donation can affect the performance of intense physical activity for a few days, particularly in the case of a red blood cell donation).
In case of weakness: sit down with head between the knees or lay down with legs elevated for a few minutes.
Depending on the donor's occupation or exercise practices, extra time may be needed before regular activities can be resumed (e.g., bus driver, heavy machinery operator, etc.).
Use of donations and personal information
Collected products are used for transfusion or to make medication. On rare occasions, they may be used for teaching, product quality control (in transfusion medicine) or international aid purposes.
The information collected on donors, which includes test results, is kept confidential, in accordance with the law. Donors may consult their file and, if necessary, have it rectified.
With a view to continuously improving knowledge about blood, Héma-Québec may use the information collected on donors for educational, research or statistical purposes, or to contact them.