This place was decent back in early 2024. The staff used to be careful with your veins, even if the wait times were horrendous. However, the quality of care has plummeted. The staff has become increasingly incompetent, with inexperienced technicians who jab your arm blindly. When they fail to get a proper flow, they simply blame it on the donor having 'bad veins.' I returned today after recovering from the flu, only to have two inexperienced techs repeatedly probe my vein. Even when the machine alerted them of a poor flow, their only solution was to jab me further. I eventually had to refuse when they tried to move to my left arm. To make matters worse, they seem to have changed their pay structure. Compensation used to be for your time, but now it seems to be based solely on the volume collected. Last year, a technician blew my vein and caused a severe hematoma (see attached pictures). You're better off doing DoorDash than letting these 'pretend' technicians play with your health. read more

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This is the worst plasma donation place in Champaign IL. They talk way more than they work. There system is so messed up. It takes you hours to get through the line. There is not one person at this location that give a damn about their job. There are long periods between screens because they lazy person sitting down have to hard of a job. They need to fire to management again and start over. I would not recommend this place to a test animal. It really is this bad. I do not recommend this place to even try. Very bad business control in here. They do what they want when they want and don't care about the donors. read more

First time donating here and it was a great experience. The staff was very friendly and helpful. This place is a 10/10 for how nice and respectful everyone is. read more

Friendly fun staff, clean facility, always willing to answer my questions. Great experience!

I have been a Donor of Plasma in excess of 20 years, between Champaign Illinois and Indianapolis. The staff at Talecris in Champaign show the utmost of professionalism. Always polite and ready to greet you with a smile. I have never had a Bad experience... Thank You Talecris read more

I needed to calm down a bit to organize my thoughts, so I'm adding an update here. The original post is at the bottom. tl;dr: It was unethical for a healthcare organization to refuse to share information, and even more unethical to put pressure on someone to undergo an unnecessary procedure (plasma donation) they weren't comfortable with it. Informed consent is the cornerstone of medical ethics. No medical procedure, no matter how minor, is without risk, and so we expect medical professionals to explain the risks and benefits and allow us to make our own decisions. That was not what I experienced when I tried to give plasma. When I was going through the initial first-time doner check in, I wanted some information about how safe the procedure was, so I asked for some statistics often a doner was hospitalized because of this donation procedure. Obviously, they had a disclaimer about the complications that could happen, and it was the typical ridiculously horrible list that ever medicine/procedure has. I figured statistics about how often hospitalizations would be a decent measure of risk for me. When doing the health screening (which was a good hour into the check in, I'd already been fingerprinted, photographed, and signed a number of legal documents), I asked multiple times for the information I wanted to make an informed decission about whether to donate. When I first asked, I was given a dismissive brush off. The second time, I was told "I don't that information, and if I did, I wouldn't be able to give it to you." Red flag. Third time, I was told to "man up." By the fourth time, I think she'd lost her patience. She gave me a long list of all the things that could go wrong, and was told "yes, we send people to the hospital. That is something that happens." She seemed to be telling me that it was a common occurrence. I was told "We have you sign a disclaimer for that reason." At this point I started telling her I was going to back out of the procedure, at which point I was ushered into a side room and told "plasma donation isn't for you. You seem too anxious about this." Through this whole ordeal, my questions and concerns were completely dismissed, and she just kept checking me in even though I was telling her I had questions before I agreed. "I couldn't give you that information if I had it. Hold out your finger, I need to check your hematocrit." It takes a degree of confidence to look at a medical professional and refuse their services, even it's just a phlebotomist, rather than an RN or MD. I couldn't help but notice that the vast majority of doners appeared to be lower income, and at least two seemed to have mental disabilities. Given that her first and only response to questions was to subtly pressure/bully the doner into proceeding, and that most of the doners seemed like they might need the money pretty badly, and perhaps were not well educated, the whole operation suddenly seemed extremely sketchy. Now, to be fair, it is possible this lady was just having a bad day. Many of the workers seemed stressed and frustrated. Perhaps she did not understand that I was trying to understand the risk, rather than just voicing fears. I hate arguing, and she took my pulse/blood pressure late into this exchange, so my numbers were quite high -- the highest I've ever seen, much higher than my normal numbers. It's possible she made an honest mistake by interpreting my elevated cardio readings as anxiety or poor cardio health. Nonetheless, considering that it was unclear whether the donations were going to hospitals or big pharma research (a question I never got to ask), and since I seemed to be shown the door after asking too many safety questions, I left feeling like this was a sketchy place where uneducated, desperate people were exploited. Original post: When I asked for information on how safe it was, they wouldn't provide it. When I pushed, they sent me away. "Too anxious" they said. Also, gender slurs as I couldn't "man up". Apparently they don't like informed/educated doners. Also kind of humerous... one of the staff members was swearing, and one of the doners (who wasn't part of the conversation) swore in agreement, and she scolded him for his language. Truly epic. read more

I've been coming to Talecris for some time now. It's a great way to help other people out while earning a little spending money. The facility is always clean, the staff is always friendly, and the process is quick so that you can get on with your day. read more

Nice. Pleasant. Upfront. I went to a different place first to sell plasma. They let me sit through and hour orientation before deciding they didn't want me. This place worked hard to make sure I was comfortable and ready. The staff was friendly. I found that being nice and cheerful to them also improved the experience for everyone involved. They do all the "hard parts" required first to ensure someone can donate to try and not waste anyone's time. I'll be coming back as soon as I can! read more

Always friendly and great staff.they take care of you why'll you get paid to help others out.

I donated plasma for the first time last Friday, so this is more of a FAQ than an actual review. The staff were nice, and the other patients where interesting to listen to. You will see a variety of people: college students, professionals, blue collar workers, and "ghetto people". I'll begin by telling you that you're not going to get rich by donating your plasma. Yes, you'll have little extra cash in your pocket but don't quit your day job. Or your night job for that matter, LOL! Your journey begins by actually visiting the Talecris facility and setting-up an appointment. Whatever day you choose, make sure your schedule is clear because first-time donors wait the longest (because of processing you into the system, etc). The Talecris website says that first-timers usually wait about two hours, but it's more like four (the place is typically packed). You should bring: 1. Your social security card and a valid driver's license or state ID. 2. A MP3 player, book, Kindle, or laptop. 3. Drink PLENTY of water (or Gatorade) the day before your appointment. Soda and alcohol don't count! Once you've signed in, you must sit and wait for your name to be called. You will be given a booklet explaining the process and what qualifies or disqualifies you from donating. If you've ever donated blood, the requirements are basically the same. Then you'll wait some more... Your name will be called again and staff will take you to a room where they prick your finger to test your blood sugar level and ask you a series of questions. Then you'll wait some more... You will then be taken to an examination room for your physical. They test your pulse, blood pressure, etc. The only thing they didn't do is grab my balls and tell me to cough, LOL! Then, you guessed it... Finally, you will be taken to an area with a bunch of cots. Because you are a first-timer, the staff (mine has the prettiest green eyes) will explain the entire process to you. This is also why you should bring a mp3 player or something to kill the boredom, because cell phones are not allowed while donating (the machines work off the same frequency), you will be asked to turn it off or mute the sound and put it away. They stick you with the needle (similar to donating blood), and the entire process takes about 45 minutes. The more hydrated your body is, the faster the process. You are then paid. The pay for a first-timer is about $50, but I was lucky enough that I coincidentally donated during a promotion where first-timers got $75. Subsequent visits pay roughly $30 to $40, and last between one to one and a half hours. Other than the waiting, my first experience at Talecris was positive. read more

Very under staffed one person takes your vitals and move you to the back where you wait even more time came here at 10am still here after 1pm this don't make no sense read more

I've been donating at Talecris since August 2011. My first appointment took about 3 hours and I got lucky because I was a walk-in and they made room for me. Since then, they have changed the rules so you have to make an appointment every single time...the wait time has been significantly reduced since they started doing that. Everyone I have encountered at the center is friendly and willing to answer questions. I enjoy going to Talecris twice a week to a) get out of the house, and b) make a little bit of extra money. It is important to remember to eat a balanced meal both the day before and the day of your donation and to drink plenty of water. If you eat really fatty foods before donating, they may not be able to use your plasma...so be conscious of what you put in your body. Also be sure to rehydrate yourself well afterwards. It's not like donating blood...they don't provide any snacks or juice (although they do have vending machines). read more

I would appreciate if somebody there would return my call. My name is kathy and my phone number is 815 992-8681..

Lost my bonus for the month because they took over a week to clear my blood sample halfway through the month. It's not just that they were so slow about this, but that I had to physically come in 3 times this week to try to donate because they never pick up the phone even after I called multiple times each day. read more

This is the worst place I have ever worked and I would not recommend that you go here as a donor either. As the staff gets used to you coming favortisim comes into play. If you are liked you get treated well, if hated your chart suddenly becomes lost or you are simply avoided, inquire about it you will encounter management who treats you with no respect, police will be called to remove you. Waiting in the waiting area is an experince by itself! The place is dirty, bathroom nasty, uncomfortable chairs linked together (so they cannot be thrown), odd floor layout and you will encounter all types of ppl from different walks of life. One can encounter rude ppl (staff and donors), loud music, card playing, and lots of joking and laughing just waiting to be seen, which depending on when you go, but this is the norm here. This place has a high employee turnover rate, in my five months there ppl were constantly fired or walking out due to management favortisim and constant policy changes. This is not a place where the strong survive, they are run off or fired! Management looks and acts VERY unprofessional , tattoos everywhere, unsure of anything and non confrontational when dealing with any situation. Expect lots of delays and confusion from the whole process. read more

Wow! I donated here a couple of years ago, and the Management was HORRIBLE. Rude staff, and the head manager would basically interrogate donors to disqualify them from donating! Also, management didn't seem to ever know what was going on in their own business. You almost never saw them at all. Which left the employees to basically run the place haphazardly. So, reluctantly, I returned to this place to earn some extra money. I was PLEASANTLY surprised to see completely new Management and staff. They had an appointment system, which they didn't have before, but they were able to get me in due to a cancellation. I remember the first time I went, I was turned away after waiting for 8 hours by the head Manager, who rudely pointed at a sign that said "you may or may not be seen" due to the volume of new donors. Not this time! I was in and out in 3 hours, and my second visit I was BARELY there for an hour. I also noticed that Management is more visible, in fact, my first visit I had the "needle sticking" portion done on me by the male manager (didn't catch his name). He explained the process in detail, and asked me about my experience up to that point. Completely professional and you could tell he had a good report with the employees and donors alike. Also, you could tell they were short staffed on the donor floor, and soon after the manager got me going, the head manager came out to talk to him, and the managers opened up a another area together! This was a complete 180 from my previous experiences here, so I was very impressed. I usually do not write reviews, but this place has got it together. It is now worth my time to make some extra cash there. If you've had a previously bad experience here, I encourage you to give it another shot. read more

I began donating at Talecris before Grifols took over. I was a full-time university student that worked over 30 hrs a week for part-time salary. I donated for extra cash and to tie up the bills. I never felt the need to complain about the process or it's length. The compensation, if you do the necessary regimen of water and diet works out to about $10.00/hr for approximately 2 hrs. That's more than JC Penny will pay you as a part-time cashier. The only thing I didn't love was the work atmosphere. Everyone always seemed miserable with their job and the people who donated. I had a good run for about a year until, a new front desk manager came on the scene. Cosmos. I generally find attention from most men flattering, but there are some who do not know the difference between a compliment and a disgusting offense. Every chance he got, he asked if, "I could drive his stick." Too nice then to say F* OFF! I simply replied "No" every daunting time he asked. Exhausted with all of the unwanted attention, I stopped going to the center for a good while. When I returned, I found it necessary to speak with Cosmos, and eventually had to tell him I was going to report his unwanted and inappropriate comments. On my next visit, what do you know, my chart had been flagged red alert. I was then pulled into an office with Cosmos and a male nurse behind closed doors. For the next minutes, I was bullied, and at the end of the ordeal heard the posed question "You want to donate right?" Nicety flew out the door. I let Cosmos (and the nurse know in literal terms) "It's $60 dollars a week, even if I did drive sticks, I would NEVER drive yours." I left, penned a letter to corporate, thought about all the women who ever suffered backlash for reporting sexual abuse, and never sent it. A year later, I actually needed to donate. So before I went, I had a private telephone conversation with someone at corporate and gave them the details. I told her I wanted to donate but did not want to be in any situations with Cosmos or experience any huge ordeal that would tip off all the other workers that I had spoken to someone. She made some calls, and before donating, I had a conversation with Paul (the current manager at the time) who assured me repeatedly and emphatically that no repercussion would come of me reporting Cosmos, no other employees would be involved, and Cosmos would be informed never to be in same vicinity with me. Seriously. Cosmos continued to find freedom in sharing the same space with me during any visits. Once, he even suggested that I enter a room with him behind a closed door. Meaning, no one ever spoke with him or he was letting me know it didn't matter. Witnesses present, I let it be known, no door would ever close behind him and I. It was only a few visits in before, I started to randomly test for low protein. Mind you, my doctor confirmed my protein was not low. Still, wanting to make sure before addressing the real issue and not wanting to, I asked for a copy of my records and was told flat out "We do not give donors their records." I responded, well versed, that's my php, you may have a process, but I can have copies of my records. "No you may not." I was also told, I could not be given the name of any technicians performing my screenings. I had to make a formal complaint JUST to get my records. It took weeks of phone calls, just, to get my records which they perceived as complaints, and the bases to defer me for months, and then finally a year. The reason given is that I had been named as a "contact" with an individual that tested C-Reactive. "Their policy states, they cannot give the name of this individual & that if anyone with the status names you, even randomly as a contact" you will be deferred for a year and reinstatement is impossible because you have to prove no contact for a year (with an individual whose name you do not and cannot know.) It's an utter lie, but they are hoping that I have slept with someone who has donated. It's a full-proof no. A former roommate of mine is a NURSE, I referred him to the center, he donated/s. I've had no other roommates inside that year save that address. Vince and I were the only two (confirmed by conversation) of the household that ever donated. This as winded as it is, is a snippet. They literally harassed and taught me a lesson every opportunity they could create. Most times, I left the center dazed at the brazen and blatant retaliation and in tears once out of sight for the utter abusiveness of the entire situation. read more

The best experience I have ever had at any plasma donation center. The staff is friendly and professional! They got me in and out very quickly. The facility is clean and very well run! read more