Pulse

Volume5/1992_November05PULSE UNIVERSITY OF UTAH HEALTH SCIENCES CENTER November 5,1992 UH Blood Donor Center Issues 6 A Call To Arms' Because of an urgent need for blood platelet donors, the University Hospital Blood Donor Center is asking all members of the university community- students, faculty and staff- to roll up their sleeves and answer " A Call to Arms." With the blood drive's new slogan, " A Call to Arms," donor center employees hope to educate people on increasing the need for blood and platelet donations. Accord-ing to Betty Kong, MT( ASCP), assistant supervisor of the apheresis donor area, because of University Hospital's Bone Marrow Transplant program, the demand for platelet donors has increased 40- 50 percent over the last year and a half. " We desperately need platelet donors," said Kong. " Currently, we utilize 250 to 300 platelet donors a month and that only meets 70 percent of our demand. We simply need more donors to service the number of patients in our facility." Platelets are clotting cells in the Ada Bills, MT ( ASCP), staff technologist in the Blood Donor Center, uses the apheresis machine to draw platelets from a donor. blood, which are necessary for medical procedures such as bone marrow transplants, organ transplants, in pediatric care, newborn intensive care, cancer and burn patients and others. For donors, the process of removing platelets from whole blood is similar to regular whole blood donation. To remove platelets, a donor's blood is drawn from one arm and enters into the apheresis machine. The machine removes the platelets from whole blood, and the red cells and plasma are returned to the donor through the other arm. According to Kong, the average platelet donation takes an hour and a half to two hours. Whole blood donations take about 30 minutes. However, platelet donors can give more frequently- up to 24 times a See Platelets continued on page 2 Platelets Continued from page 1 year- compared to the whole blood donation of only six. " Around six percent of the population in the U. S. gives blood, and of that six percent only one percent gives platelets," said Robert Blaylock, M. D., assistant director of Transfusion Services. " Without a sufficient number of apheresis platelet donors, platelets must be prepared from whole blood donations. The platelets from six whole blood donors must be pooled to equal an apheresis donation and that increases the risk of the patient getting a transfusion-transmitted disease. We would like to be able to use our apheresis supply only, and not have to use the pooled platelets." If you are interested in becoming a platelet or whole blood donor, call the Blood Donor Center at x 1- 2794. Few Tricks, But Lots Of Treats Frank Tyler, M. D., interim dean of the School of Medicine, gives Chance Tingey, 5 South patient, a candy bar during last week's Halloween celebration. The pediatric and adolescent patients went trick- or- treating to more than 20 departments in the Medical Center. Auxiliary Holiday Sale University Hospital's Auxiliary and the Gift Shop are sponsoring an Employee Appreciation Sale, on the Hospital Bridge, Nov. 13, from 9 a. m.- 4 p. m. All gift items and boxed holiday cards will be 10 percent off. UMC Holiday Dinner Scheduled For Dec. 17 ' Tis the season! Mark your calendar. The Univer-sity Medical Center Holiday Dinner is scheduled for Thursday, Dec. 17 in the Wasatch Spectrum Cafeteria. This year's theme is: " Sounds of Quick! Call The Exterminator College of Nursing personnel celebrated week. They dressed up as box elder bugs autumn houseguests. Halloween in an unusual way last to welcome their building's annual the Season," and Holiday Committee members are providing employees with a number of ways to get excited about the holiday season. As always, the traditional dinner-free to faculty and staff- will be offered throughout the day and evening. In addition, the Departmen-tal Decorating Contest is scheduled, with prizes for the winners. Also, a food drive to support a number of local charities will take place from Dec. 3- 17. Drop sites for non-perishable food items will be an-nounced in future issues of Pulse. New this year is the Departmental Ornament Decorating Contest. Each department is encouraged to make a wall or tree decoration to be displayed in the cafeteria ( wreaths, floral arrangements, bells, etc.). The ornaments and decorations will be judged and winning entries will receive prizes. Also, all entries will be auctioned, and the money raised will go to the Pediatric Unit on 5 South. For more information call Cynthia Faircloth, x 1- 2380, or watch future issues of Pulse. ^ ^ Printed on Recycled Pape