Absolutely awful experience!! They left the tourniquet on…read moremy child's arm for the entire donation, and then argued with me when I told him if that was not appropriate. Two weeks later, my daughters arm is still black and blue and swollen and when I called, they continue to stand by the fact that you do leave the tourniquet on the entire time of the donation. My child has numbness in her hand now, and the vein is blown out, proceed with caution if you go here. Absolutely inexcusable!

I'm not going to say that I enjoy my visits here, because I don't enjoy the process, but it's not…read moreall bad. The staff here is friendly and gets the job done quickly and efficiently. I've donated at the Blood Center and at a few different off site locations. My latest donation was at Lakeside Mall. I happened to be there and the giveaways were pretty cool. A Tricentennial TShirt?! I'll take it! A box of Russell Stover's chocolates?!? Yep, that's me! The brick and mortar location is sort of dingy looking, but it's clean. There are drinks and snacks for you after you donate. Take advantage and have some to ward off any lightheadedness. The phlebotomists here know what they're doing, so follow their instructions if you're a first time donor. They won't steer you wrong. I feel like I'm giving back when I make my donation and always hope that if i, or my family is in the situation to need blood that it will be available. Bravo to these folks for doing what they do and helping out the community.

Looking to make an extra $200 a month and have lots of free time? Come on down to Octapharma and…read moresell...err....DONATE your plasma. I just finished my first plasma donation. Here's how it went: The first donation was said to take 2 hours. I sat down in the waiting room with several forms of ID and a piece of mail to as proof of residency. After a short wait, I was called back to answer questions about my medical history (Have you had sex with anybody from a variety of Central African nations?). Then they took my vitals, drew a tiny bit of blood, and made sure I had adequate levels of iron & antibodies. My pulse barely made the cut (100 bpm) because I was pretty apprehensive. Then came more waiting. Next was the least comprehensive physical I have ever received. No doctor was involved, just two medical techs. No urinalysis, no dropping trou. I didn't even have to take my shirt off. They did examine my limbs at great length for "wounds," which is med tech for drug injection sites. I was told to arrive having eaten a hearty meal, so I ate at 10:30 AM and got there by 11:30. At this point, it was 2:30 PM, so they made me leave and return with a full stomach. After a quick BBQ break at Corkys (gross... review forthcoming), it was donation time. Before I was taken to the group donation room, they told me that cell phones interfere with the plasmapheresis process. Some shit about how it affects the anticoagulant. They threw out some big sciencey words and expected me to agree. Instead, I laughed out loud and asked if they were serious. There is absolutely no way that cell phones affect the machines. I have to assume they do this for the same reason that airlines try to convince you that phones will cause the plane to crash: people yakking on their phones in close quarters is annoying. In the donation room, there were signs that claimed a phone even in airplane mode would cause interference, but laptops, iPods, and radios were OK. Needless to say I used my iPhone the entire time without issue. The actual donation process took 45 minutes. And while the needle is pretty darn big, the most painful part was removing the paper tape from my hairy arms after the donation was over. Overall, I feel a little dehydrated, but not any more than after a day at Jazzfest. The whole first visit experience took four hours, but future donations only take about 90 minutes. If you were going to be sitting on your ass anyway, you might as well get paid to do it and save some lives at the same time. FDA regulations limit donations to twice a week & Octapharma pays $20 for the first visit and $30 for the second visit in a given week. That's $200 a month for 12 hours of "work." Not a bad deal at all.

Awful business. I moved from Little Rock, AR to Mandeville, La. I was told by an Octapharma…read moreemployee that Mandeville was in their area and I would be able to keep donating at this location. My files were transferred from LR to this location. The very first time I went to donate, I brought my lease as proof of residence. The lady accepted my lease and put my info into the computer but I was told I needed my Social Security Card as well. I returned 3 days later with my card, but was told I wasn't allowed to donate because my address was "restricted". Nobody would explain to me what this means. I live in an apartment complex in Mandeville. Nobody would offer me an explanation as to why I couldn't donate because of my address even though it was in their area. I attempted to contact Octapharma at the number listed on their website and I have left 8 messages. 8. Not a single call has been returned. The staff at this location are also EXTREMELY rude and unbelievably slow helping anyone. The very first time I went to transfer my info I literally waited for over an hour and a half sitting in their "waiting area" to be helped.

Timeline Summary:…read more January 10, 2026 - ER Visit Seen by Dr. Gregory Hurley, MD--exceptional physician. Diagnosed with bacterial pneumonia and discharged with antibiotics and nebulizer treatment. Symptoms worsened by January 12 (not due to physician care, but ineffective treatment). January 18, 2026 - Primary Care Received steroid injection, antibiotic injection, high-dose doxycycline, inhaler, and nebulizer treatments. January-July 2026 Repeated respiratory illness episodes. Continued antibiotics (including Zithromax) and breathing treatments. I expressed concern that the pneumonia never fully resolved. A chest X-ray was recommended but delayed due to work obligations. June 19, 2026 - Chest X-ray Results showed no acute cardiopulmonary process and no change from 2020 imaging--no visible pneumonia. July 10, 2026 - Emergency Event Awoke covered in dark brown mucus from nose and mouth. Immediately went to Ochsner ER (Kenner). Dr. Hanna Lurye, DO acted quickly and appropriately. Extensive testing performed (labs, cultures, CT scan). CT revealed multifocal pneumonia (right worse than left), sepsis, and respiratory failure. I was admitted. Hospital Stay (July 10-17, 2026) Delayed initiation of breathing treatments (not started until ~2 days after admission). Dr. Alexander Whitehead, MD provided minimal interaction. July 14-16 - Under Dr. Madeleine Nguyen, MD Repeated refusal to order follow-up imaging despite my condition and requests. Only after escalation did she reluctantly approve an X-ray. July 16, 2026 - X-ray Result Showed only slight improvement from July 10. This is unacceptable given the severity of my diagnosis and the volume of IV antibiotics administered. Despite ongoing illness, I was discharged after 7 days--only "slightly improved"--from multifocal pneumonia, sepsis, and respiratory failure. It is evident discharge decisions were influenced by insurance limitations (Blue Cross approval through July 15). I was pushed out while still clinically compromised. Additionally, antibiotics administered during hospitalization were ineffective, yet treatment adjustments were delayed until discharge planning. Conclusion This reflects systemic prioritization of cost over patient care. I was discharged prematurely while still seriously ill. Staff Recognition (4th Floor): Outstanding: Heather Chimetho, RN Ebony Simmons, RN Pooja, Terri Lynn (Charge Nurse), Jasmine Lee (IV), Tech Kelly Good: RN Wesley, Wonda (Respiratory Therapist), Tech Jasmein Unacceptable: Tatresa (desk tech - dismissive, hung up calls), Nurse Diamonique (rude, unhelpful)

I was hospitalized the first week of October. I had to be intubated and the rapid response team,…read moreand the nurses that took care of me after I was brought down from ICU, were amazing! They were attentive, helpful, pleasant and accommodated me in every way that they could each nurse was very kind. And if I ask something, I did not have to wait an hour they were on it. So I just want to thank them for a job well done and for taking care of me as if I was their own family. Thank you ladies.

When I lost my job and needed money fast I was nervous to donate plasma but I had a good experience…read morehere. People are nice. Takes a few hours to onboard but after that the initial donation takes about 45 min, an hour if you're not hydrated enough. The more hydrated you are the quicker the process. You get more money the more you weigh so it's nice to finally be a big girl somewhere. Some people I've met say they feel bad afterward, I never have but I eat and drink water before and after. It's usually cold so wear jeans. Of course during the day it's not as busy as after five, but they literally stay open to clients up until 6:59pm so they pretty much expect people to show up until that time. You can go up to twice a week with one day in between. I don't recommend walking there or like exercising before hand because if your heart rate is too high they won't take you. But you do have the option to rest for 15 min to see if it goes down. They even have a bus stop right in front of the complex. If you donate enough to receive 600 or more those don need to be counted as income on your taxes so remember that. Great option if you want free money for having plasma. Can't donate if you have seizures, on certain medication or have recently lived with someone with hepatitis c.

If u need a quick $100 in less than 3 hrs!…read more Very easy & helpful ! Plus you can go twice a week!

Ochsner Blood Center Jefferson Hwy Location Great…read moreprofessionals, friendly, efficient, and accommodating Relaxing, comfortable environment

I just donated at the Ochsner main campus and the experience was painless - well except for a minor…read moreneedle stick. The ladies here were welcoming and got me in and out in a very reasonable amount of time. Their blood supply is short right now and the need is great. Please consider donating if you're able and feel comfortable being out and about during COVID. They were super hygienic and I felt safe being there. Everyone was masked, gloved, and there was an ample supply of hand sanitizer. And the swag is nothing to scoff at - a voucher for a 10-12 pound frozen turkey from Rouses and a v-neck t-shirt with an awesome local design. They had masks and crew neck tees as well.

Quick and Easy way to make money. Been going for over 2 years. Definitely recommend Octapharma…read morePlasma

I have never got in and out in under 3 hours usually take 3 to 4 hours . Once I was here 5 hours …read more They close without any notifications. I drive 40 miles to donate only to find the door locked after calling before I leave the house. The line is always 5 miles long with one person checking in new donors and returning donors. I have fallen below my $60 donation because I am I am unable to donate as frequently because of them closing early or opening late. So therefore I am driving 40 miles for $40 dollars . Just crazy

This seemed to be the most appropriate place to write my review since I visited a blood mobile and…read morenot an actual blood donation location. The Blood Center did a blood drive at my apartment complex and I decided to sign up since it was super convenient. On the day of, I completed the pre-donation questions online and took a QR code to speed up the check in process. I selected the first appointment because I wanted to minimize any possible exposure to Covid 19. I arrived at 12:57pm for a 1pm appointment. They weren't ready for me so I hung around outside. When I finally entered the blood mobile (about 20 minutes later), it was tiny and it took them forever to check me in because the computer was so slow. After check-in, I was led to a tiny room (maybe 3 feet by 3 feet) to meet with one of the staff. I was uncomfortable because it's impossible to socially distance in a room that tiny. The computer in that room was slow too and I was in there approximately 20 minutes. The blood donation process was fairly efficient. When I finished, I was asked to sit at the front for 5-10 minutes to ensure there were no adverse reactions. I get it, but that was not desirable due to Covid. The lady tried to force me to eat a snack and drink some juice while waiting. I had to keep telling her no because I didn't want to take my mask off in that tiny space. Overall, The Blood Center needs to work on improving their Covid practices and upgrading their old and slow computer equipment. Some bonuses of giving blood here include getting your cholesterol level and also finding out whether you have Covid antibodies. I also got a cool Christmas themed t-shirt. I enjoy giving blood, but am not sure I'd donate here again.

Do NOT go here!! Waste of time!! Does not allow you to give blood and it's called the Blood Center…read more STUPID!!

I try to donate regularly and this location makes it easy. They're located on Lakeshore Drive among…read moreUNO's buildings, and are easy to find. There's lots of available parking too. The staff is professional, friendly, and makes the visits pleasant. The swag is always a plus, and if you donate prior to 8/3/19, you will he entered into a drawing for a trip to Disney!

Yesterday was my 1st time there. I was shocked to find the place clean & professional like. The…read morewait was close to 4 hrs. BP was fine although I had some unusual pain in my leg around the knee from an on the job injury recently. From the instructions of the lady that saw me, she requested that I take my meds for muscle aches that I hadn't picked up yet but after leaving the office, I would. I was confused because the meds would have been in my system but the pain couldn't be felt thru the bloodline? I informed the pharmacist about me donating blood & asked if the meds would be ok to take, 2 prescriptions? One of them the pharmacist said don't take until after 3 days of getting the plasma done. I did as instructed. I went back the next day & she took my pressure 2x's. I ran an hr late for my appointment. I was seen & when I got the BP checked the 1st time she said it was high & she would check it again. Ok, she did but this time she placed the BP cup around my arm & ask me to place my arm with the cup down to my side. It was then on my left arm. The results she said was high. I immediately thought something was wrong the way she taken my BP. I begin to feel something isn't right & an uncomfortable feeling about that visit ran over me. She requested that I return tomorrow. When I made the call to report what had happened, I was told that she had placed in the system a rejection to come back. From the call, I was told that I would receive a call but the person language was very bad. Not very good English spoken. I called another location & this person looked me up & told me that I can return tomorrow. This is. professional medical team, at least I hoped & thought. Why would she informed me to place my arm down for an inaccurate BP reading? I knew this was wrong & it will show an inaccurate reading. One star is for the appearance of the place & the other star is for how professional it appeared. Lord Jesus, I need you ever hr everyday because it could have been far worse on Bullard Ave. That incident took away stars I wanted to give. I requested to speak to the nurse but instead of the nurse was the EMT who then put my prescriptions into the computer. The EMT never said that I couldn't come back in the system I believed nor by a verbal reason but that I could return tomorrow. Her demeanor was more about typing notes than speaking directly to me.

I got as far as the office staff, who were as knowledgeable as they can be seeing as their…read morecorporate offices aren't providing them with all the information they need to be even more effective at their jobs. Very helpful and knowledgeable. Even when it was realized that the New Donor website wasn't working, I was able to reschedule for the next day.

Sit on down for a good cause. The Blood Center is just what you would expect, a place that takes…read moreyour blood, plasma, or platelets for people in need. If that is not enough to get you in, there also give you free cholesterol screenings, blood pressure tests, and t-shirts.