If you're looking to donate, then I would advise to stay away from csl plasma; specifically this location. I exercise daily and have very low body fat which make my veins very prominent. I donated a few times here, each time it took the technician/phlebotomists several (3-4) injections to successfully position the needle within a vein. As I mentioned before, my veins are very prominent and bulge out of my skin. I have donated blood and received an IV before, never have I had this problem with needles.
The last time I donated a technician in training had stuck me 4 times while another nurse observed and gave instructions. Amongst the 4th attempt, the observing individual told the trainee to pull the need out a little bit, then back in, and out a little bit once more because the machine was not drawing any blood. This was fairly painful as I was pricked 7 times counting the moving in and out. When the trainee could not successfully stick the vein the observer took over and she walked away in disgust.
Once the observing technician took over she then moved to the opposite arm and stuck the entire needle fully into my arm causing a sharp, shooting pain. not a pleasant feeling at all. She then moved the needle back out and blood began flowing into the machine. My intuition told me something was wrong because I have never felt this pain while donating, ever. She the. Looked at me and said I did something different, let me know if the machine beeps.
As the machine pumped my blood into the centrifuge the injection site began to sting. Once completed, a technician removed the needle and my arm was somewhat sore as it usually is after donating, therefore I didn't think anything of it.
The next day I awoke to abnormal bruising on my arm around the injection site and even below into my forearm. I thought nothing of it as the bruise should go away within a few days, right? WRONG! The bruising worsened and my arm began to ache and throb as I extended or retracted my forearm. I eventually could not put pressure on it or lift a carton of milk without it throbbing.
I approached my physician About the abnormal bruising and he told me it is a HEMATOMA, a clotting of blood in the tissue, up and down my arm, under the skin. He explained it was likely due to the technician who stuck the needle entirely in my arm puncturing an artery. It has been about 2.5 weeks since this event and my arm is still throbbing, though the bruises are beginning to fade.
This CSL plasma location does not properly train technicians for the job often throwing inexperienced employees in the fire. DO NOT let this happen to you, not worth the $45. do yourself a favor and Find another company to donate that better trains it's employees. read more
