OBU Conducts Blood Drive, Public Invited to Donate

April 15, 2009

The Oklahoma Baptist University School of Nursing assisted with an Oklahoma Blood Institute blood drive Wednesday, April 15, in the upper level of the Geiger Center on campus. The public is invited to participate in the blood drive, which continues Thursday, April 16, from 11 a.m.-4 p.m.

OBU's Student Nurses Association works with the Oklahoma Blood Institute (OBI) to conduct the event, said Karen Cotter, OBU assistant professor of nursing. Although nursing students are involved, they serve in a supportive role to the professionals from the blood institute who conduct the drive and collect the donations.

"One reason that we use OBI is that the blood is used locally, within this region, when possible," Cotter said. "Blood has a fairly short shelf life once it is collected, and so when there are disasters that arise, frequently there is a shortage and pleas from the Oklahoma Blood Institute to donate blood."

Cotter said a person can donate blood every 45-60 days. One pint of whole blood usually serves three different purposes and/or people. She said because plasma is extracted, platelets are extracted and red blood cells are packed into a separate product, one donor potentially can give to three different people with one donation.

For more information about the Oklahoma Blood Institute, visit http://www.obi.org/.