By making an appointment to donate blood during our blood drive you’re helping our main blood supplier, The Blood Center of New Jersey maintain adequate supplies of blood for our patients and for use during emergency situations.

Raritan Bay Medical Center in collaboration with The Blood Center of New Jersey sponsors blood drives at the Medical Center to help Central Jersey Blood Center maintain adequate blood supply in their inventory in order to meet our patients’ needs. Traditionally blood supply is at its lowest point during the first few months of the New Year largely due to the holiday and flu season.

The Facts…

• Blood donation is a safe and easy way to save lives.
• Most healthy individuals who weigh 110 lbs. or more, ages 17 to 66 and have never had hepatitis are good candidates to give blood.
• It is not possible to acquire any disease through the donation process.
• The process used to draw blood (Phlebotomy) is monitored through strict guidelines set by the Federal Food & Drug Administration, the State Health Department, the American Association of Blood Banks, the College of American Pathology and the Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Hospitals.

There are three different types of donations…

• Allogeneic is a general donation made for anyone
• Autogeneic is saving blood for oneself
• Directed is made by someone for a friend or family member

How to Donate Blood at Raritan bay Medical Center.

• Prospective donors should eat four hours prior to the visit and should avoid fatty foods.
• Before donating a registration card must be completed, which includes a medical history. Temperature, blood pressure, pulse and hemoglobin (amount of respiratory protein present in red blood cells) are taken.
• The entire donation process takes one hour to complete.
• Donors give a little less than 1 pint of blood, which is typed, tested for pathogens (disease) and separated into red cells and plasma.
• A card is sent to your home to announce blood type.

Blood drives are usually conducted between 9 and 5 pm.

For Autologous donations or to donate at anytime other than our regularly scheduled blood drive, call 973.676.4700 ext. 138 for an appointment.