Donate blood for college assignment

[The Mystery Machine]

Really? Around here it is 100 pounds. Our HS has blood drives all the time. You have to be 16 & 100 pounds to even attempt to donate. No assignment points have ever been assigned to it. I think they gave you a freebie something like a lanyard. I don't remember because DD wouldn't qualify. I just remembered reading about it & I know it was the 100 pound cut-off because we asked TWICE for her to donate her own blood for herself & the doctor refused to write the order as she was under the 100 pounds.

HUH....they would not let my dd give blood and she was over 100lbs. She has had open heart surgery as a baby.

Could that be the reason?

OK, I had to look it up. It is 110. Here is the Red Cross.

Blood Donors Must:
Be healthy*
Be at least 17 years old in most states, or 16 years old with parental consent if allowed by state law – see more information for 16-year old donors »
Weigh at least 110 lbs.
Additional weight requirements apply for donors 18 years old and younger and all high school donors

http://www.redcrossblood.org/donating-blood/eligibility-requirements

 

[PatsMom]

I would tend to agree with those who say an alternate assignment should be available to those who have legitimate medical or religious reasons for not donating. But in the case of the OP's daughter, sounds like she just didn't hydrate well or rest long enough after donating. If she wants to make the donation, then it is her business. She is legally an adult.

My DD is O negative. They were looking for her after the disaster in Haiti. She went and donated. The issue of having a tattoo making you ineligible for a year is not necessarily true - if you have a tattoo in a facility with is not regulated or you have a "home made" tattoo with unsterilized instruments, you are unable to donate. If your tattoo is done in a regulated shop with sterile equipment, you are eligible to donate. Regulation varies by state so you should check with your local Red Cross for your specifics.

I've had a few off reactions after donating, so haven't my husband and daughter. But our blood is in demand and I figure saving a life is much more important than feeling lousy for a little bit. Only three out of one hundred people will ever donate blood (or some ridiculous number like that - I'm not sure of the specifics). If you or a loved one ever needed blood products, I would be willing to bet that your opinion of donating would change.

 

[2binak]

I may be out of date, as I haven't been able to give in years due to my "Mad Cow" risk, but when I last donated you were excluded if you were a sexually active gay male. Is this still the case? Don't you think some kids might lie about this or some other sensitive topic (pay for sex?) rather than risk not getting the points. It's a really bad idea.

I belive that your info is out of date. Here's a link to the American Red Cross blood donation eligibility guidelines. Click on any topic for more detailed information.

http://www.redcrossblood.org/donati...irements/eligibility-criteria-topic#lifestyle

Another section of that site states that you should eat a low fat meal and drink at least 16oz of water before donating and drinking more water after donating.

 

[glitterkittyy]

I would tend to agree with those who say an alternate assignment should be available to those who have legitimate medical or religious reasons for not donating. But in the case of the OP's daughter, sounds like she just didn't hydrate well or rest long enough after donating. If she wants to make the donation, then it is her business. She is legally an adult.

My DD is O negative. They were looking for her after the disaster in Haiti. She went and donated. The issue of having a tattoo making you ineligible for a year is not necessarily true - if you have a tattoo in a facility with is not regulated or you have a "home made" tattoo with unsterilized instruments, you are unable to donate. If your tattoo is done in a regulated shop with sterile equipment, you are eligible to donate. Regulation varies by state so you should check with your local Red Cross for your specifics.

I've had a few off reactions after donating, so haven't my husband and daughter. But our blood is in demand and I figure saving a life is much more important than feeling lousy for a little bit. Only three out of one hundred people will ever donate blood (or some ridiculous number like that - I'm not sure of the specifics). If you or a loved one ever needed blood products, I would be willing to bet that your opinion of donating would change.

I'm O negative as well, and in spite of being a "hard stick", I donate each time I'm eligible. I have anemia issues so sometimes they turn me away, but I still try. It's important.

 

[Chuck S]

I would tend to agree with those who say an alternate assignment should be available to those who have legitimate medical or religious reasons for not donating. But in the case of the OP's daughter, sounds like she just didn't hydrate well or rest long enough after donating. If she wants to make the donation, then it is her business. She is legally an adult.

Define what is a legitimate medical or religious reason. I think just being an adult and simply not wanting to donate blood should be a perfectly legitimate reason. You should not have to explain the reason to a school, even if they happen to be religious or if you have a medical condition. There is a right to privacy.

I have no objection to the assignment, as long as there is a reasonable alternative to gain the points, but to have a school/teacher judge why someone may chose not to donate their blood, and define some reasons as "legitimate" or not is wrong.

 

[Mermaid02]

I would tend to agree with those who say an alternate assignment should be available to those who have legitimate medical or religious reasons for not donating. But in the case of the OP's daughter, sounds like she just didn't hydrate well or rest long enough after donating. If she wants to make the donation, then it is her business. She is legally an adult.

My DD is O negative. They were looking for her after the disaster in Haiti. She went and donated. The issue of having a tattoo making you ineligible for a year is not necessarily true - if you have a tattoo in a facility with is not regulated or you have a "home made" tattoo with unsterilized instruments, you are unable to donate. If your tattoo is done in a regulated shop with sterile equipment, you are eligible to donate. Regulation varies by state so you should check with your local Red Cross for your specifics.

I've had a few off reactions after donating, so haven't my husband and daughter. But our blood is in demand and I figure saving a life is much more important than feeling lousy for a little bit. Only three out of one hundred people will ever donate blood (or some ridiculous number like that - I'm not sure of the specifics). If you or a loved one ever needed blood products, I would be willing to bet that your opinion of donating would change.

A legitimate reason is ANY reason the would be donor does not wish to donate or is incapable of donating. In this country we are not FORCED to donate blood or organs.

 

[RachelEllen]

I belive that your info is out of date. Here's a link to the American Red Cross blood donation eligibility guidelines. Click on any topic for more detailed information.

http://www.redcrossblood.org/donati...irements/eligibility-criteria-topic#lifestyle

Another section of that site states that you should eat a low fat meal and drink at least 16oz of water before donating and drinking more water after donating.

I just checked your link and the requirements are as I remember them. The relevant info is under HIV risk, not lifestyle which is why you might have missed it. Any male who has had sex with another male, even once, since 1977 is ineligible.

Like I said, it's bad practice. Even the red cross site says that blood must be from volunteer donors. Any sort of inducement compromises blood safety.

 

[PatsMom]

Define what is a legitimate medical or religious reason. I think just being an adult and simply not wanting to donate blood should be a perfectly legitimate reason. You should not have to explain the reason to a school, even if they happen to be religious or if you have a medical condition. There is a right to privacy.

I have no objection to the assignment, as long as there is a reasonable alternative to gain the points, but to have a school/teacher judge why someone may chose not to donate their blood, and define some reasons as "legitimate" or not is wrong.

To me a legitimate reason for not donating blood is medical, religious, or ethical and should not require an explanation. Perhaps I worded poorly - if the student signs a statment indicating they have reason to not donate and are willing to take an alternate assigned that should be sufficient. Although one question in my mind is did the teacher disclose the blood donation requirement in the course catalog? If so, did the catalog list alternate assignments? I find it difficult to believe that there aren't any. As others have mentioned, there are those with medical reasons not to donate. Or at least one religion that I can think of prohibits blood donation

In the OP's case, the daughter apparently wants to donate blood, it is the mother who does not want her to. The daughter's willingness to help save a life should be applauded. She is an adult and capable of making her own decisions. I don't get encouraging her not to donate.

 

[blissventure]

I'm sorry to hear an instructor is so hopelessly out of date. Blood services don't want blood from coerced donors, period.

The best thing an instructor could do would be to mention blood donation as one of many options to help one's neighbor. No pressure, no credit, no nothing.
It's not any third parties business of why one would or why one would not donate. That's private, and in an attempt to keep our blood supply relatively safe, it needs to stay that way.

 

[m&m's mom]

For goodness sakes! I think it is no big deal but I have always donated blood very regularly so I have no issue.
Y'all would have a cow if you were me and had to give a head and pubic hair to my Anthrolpolgy teacher in college.
Maybe I am too easy going.

 

[Tess]

My DD is taking a health/science class this semester. One of their assignments is to donate blood during the school blood drive next week. The assignment is worth 20 points.

Of course DD doesn't want to loose out on the points but I'm a bit nervous. The last time she donated blood was 2 years ago when she was in High School. I got a call from the nurse telling me that DD completely passed out once she returned to class. She fell off of the stool that she was sitting on (it was a ceramics class) and was out for quite a few minutes.

DD insists that she'll be fine but I'm worried. Her appointment is after her classes. She drives herself to/from school so I'm afraid that she'll end up in a accident on the highway coming home.

To me, it's just not worth the 20 points to DD it is!

I just don't agree with grading on an assignment like this.

I'm with you OP - this IMO is not an appropriate assignment for which points should be given. Sure, encourage the kids, but adding grade points IMO is wrong.

This type of assignment doesn't seem fair to anyone in the class who might not be able to donate blood. I would gladly donate blood, but my weight is too low to be a donor. . .then of course there are kids who suffer other illnesses and are ineligible or are simply petrified of needles.

Seems a better assignment would be to donate or work a blood drive for the points.

 

[krcit]

Do we know the specifics of the assignment? It sounds like the OP's dd wants to give blood. I didn't see where we were told what would happen if you choose not to or cannot donate For all we know, there is an alternative assignment right? I'm all for anything that gets more people to donate blood, not by force of course, but some people just don't realize the importance of blood donation and if something like this opens their eyes than

 

[imabrat]

I think it's a good assignment. Without blood donations, myself and many many others would not be alive. Blood donations are low in many parts of the country, which is not good.

As a health professor, surely her teacher will be accomodating to the students who cannot donate blood for health, religious, etc reason, and will give them an alternate assignment. If not, the professor shouldn't be teaching health. One of the things we are taught when learning to be health care professionals is that we are to respect and tolerate others beliefs and ideas.

I personally don't see it as that big of a deal. If she doesn't want to do the blood donation, just ask for an alternate assignment. If the professor says no, THEN it is time to go to the dean. JMO

 

[mom2grace]

I teach at a state-run university (Big 10), and there is NO WAY this would fly there. If it is a public university and she has spoken to her instructor and she was not allowed to do an alternative assignment, she needs to go up the ladder.

At my university, you are not even allowed to give extra credit for this type of activity.

 

[Missy1961]

I think it's a good assignment. Without blood donations, myself and many many others would not be alive. Blood donations are low in many parts of the country, which is not good.

As a health professor, surely her teacher will be accomodating to the students who cannot donate blood for health, religious, etc reason, and will give them an alternate assignment. If not, the professor shouldn't be teaching health. One of the things we are taught when learning to be health care professionals is that we are to respect and tolerate others beliefs and ideas.

I personally don't see it as that big of a deal. If she doesn't want to do the blood donation, just ask for an alternate assignment. If the professor says no, THEN it is time to go to the dean. JMO

I agree with you.

We are jumping to conclusions here. This may be part of an assignment -- students may be able to pick from a list to get the points. The OP's daughter may have picked donating blood because she wanted to. The only reason she should complain is if the professor didn't give any other options since there are many reasons someone may not want to donate blood.

 

[blissventure]

I teach at a state-run university (Big 10), and there is NO WAY this would fly there. If it is a public university and she has spoken to her instructor and she was not allowed to do an alternative assignment, she needs to go up the ladder.

At my university, you are not even allowed to give extra credit for this type of activity.

Good to hear! The olden days going to a college, rounding up the youngins and lining them up to donate (for a grade/extra credit) are over.
Where blood donation is concerned, there is no difference between "good" coercion and "bad" coercion. It's all coercion, and it endangers our blood supply.

 

[pearlieq]

Wow.

I'm a staunch supporter of donating blood. I go every 8 weeks and I encourage my friends and family to do the same if they can.

I think it's an innapropriate assignment. I could live with it being extra credit. I certainly support a professor talking about the process and our blood supply in an appropriate context. But donation as an assignment? That makes me uncomfortable.

Donating is a gift.

Side note: I LOVED the blood drives at high school. Getting out of gym AND getting a brownie? Sign me up!

 

[Magic Mom]

DS's Calculus teacher offered extra credit for donating blood. DS donated twice. He had a really hard teacher and was glad for the extra credit.

 

[chisnpeke]

If I were your dd, I'd be talking to the prof, the department chair or the provost if need be. Requiring a student to hand over part of his or her body is completely inappropriate as an "assignment."

I agree. This is a ridiculous request.

I tried to do it in high school and when they pricked my finger they couldn't get much blood out. They kept trying over and over and I passed out from that! I also usually pass out when having blood drawn unless I lay down and look away.

 

[chisnpeke]

For goodness sakes! I think it is no big deal but I have always donated blood very regularly so I have no issue.
Y'all would have a cow if you were me and had to give a head and pubic hair to my Anthrolpolgy teacher in college.
Maybe I am too easy going.