By Laura Lane
Barbara Sheridan, head nurse for the Nassau University Medical Center Hospital Blood Donor Center in East Meadow, said her center hasn't seen a decrease, at least not yet.
The overall decrease in donations is owing to new federal
restrictions to reduce the possibility that the human form of mad cow disease could be transmitted through tainted blood. There are more restrictions planned for this fall, which Sheridan believes might cause her to turn away donors upon which the hospital depends.
"Donors are confused by the restrictions," Sheridan said. "It isn't stopping them from coming to donate, but they are disappointed when they find out that they can't donate."
Current regulations bar anyone from donating who has spent three months or more in Great Britain (the original location of mad cow disease) between 1980 and 1996. People who have spent five years in France are also ineligible to donate blood. This fall, the federal
regulations will extend to people who have spent at least five years in Europe.
Sheridan said that she recently had to turn a couple of teachers away who were regular donors and believes that she will have to turn away an even greater number of people come this fall.
Nassau University Medical Center is a Level One Trauma Center that receives the most-critically injured. Hospital emergency workers must keep a large supply of blood on hand. Sheridan said that community members can donate blood directly at the hospital blood center, but that she also travels throughout the community to collect blood.
"We are independent, the only hospital that doesn't use Long Island Blood Services," Sheridan said. "We save a lot of money this way and really do use so much blood since we are a Level One Trauma Center."
Sheridan has run the hospital's blood drives for the last five years and said that donations have gone up slightly each year. Typically, drives are held at Nassau County police and fire departments, the jail and colleges.
Recently, Nassau Community College sponsored a drive. Professor Art Friedman has helped the hospital run the drives
for the last 10 years. NCC drives are well advertised, posted on the college's Web site, mentioned on the college radio station, and faculty and staff are informed by letters. Friedman said that the
college even flashes the upcoming drives on the message board outside the College Center.
"Some people are so used to participating in the
blood drives, that when they see me, they ask when the
next drive is," Friedman said. "People call me the campus vampire."
Sheridan said that the hospital usually collects 600
units of blood a year from the college.
"We go there approximately six times a year," Sheridan said. "The college is a great place to go, because there are always new kids, and the teachers are a loyal source."
Friedman said that many faculty members are gallon club members, with some trying to donate 20 gallons by a certain age. He added that 25 percent of students are customarily turned away from giving blood.
"A lot of students have to postpone because they have gotten a tattoo or body piercing," Friedman said.
Sheridan added, "You have to wait 12 months after any piercing or tattoo to avoid [tainting the blood with] Hepatitis C, which used to be a problem."
When people enter the College Center Building to donate blood, they are required to fill out an anonymous form asking questions about sexual activities that might make them ineligible to give blood. Potential donors then supply a medical history and have their blood pressure and pulse taken. They also have a small sample of blood
drawn to check for the hemoglobin level.
"All the people who take the blood are registered nurses from the hospital," Friedman said. "They are professionals of the highest nature and don't hurt you. They make if a fun experience and joke around with the donors."
Fred Downs, formerly of East Meadow, assistant vice president of human resources at NCC, donates blood to the hospital six times a year and brings along others from his department.
"I was always afraid to donate, but Fred talked me into it," Downs assistant, former East Meadow resident Barbara Fink, said. "It took me a while, but I'm over the nervousness and have been doing this for seven years now."
Professor Lawrence Glass, a Biology 102 teacher at the college, bribes his students to take part in a drive each year.
"It's been my policy to get [blood] donations for the hospital," Glass said. "The student will receive a plus 10 on any test that they need it on for by participating."
Michael Albano, of West Hempstead, will be a senior this fall at Delaware Valley College. A NCC graduate, he is taking Bio 102 this summer and will transfer the credits to Delaware.
"It's a little painful, but I like to do it because it's a free commodity, and I would like to give something back," said Albano.
When asked if he needed the 10 points, he said he
had no comment.
Blood drive planned
Nassau Community College is planning a blood drive for Thursday, Sept. 19. Call Barbara Sheridan for further information on this drive or to find out more information about donating
blood.
The Blood Center at Nassau University Medical Center can be reached at (516) 572-6348.
