Versiti Blood Donation

I visited Versiti, on 18th & Wisconsin, to donate blood on March 20. At this time, coronavirus had already forced changes to much of the way things are done in the United States.

Versiti’s facility was already set up for social distancing. There were Xs on the floor to keep people six feet apart while waiting in line. Only people with an appointment could be taken as Versiti was flooded with donor appointments. As I had an appointment, I was told they were running about an hour behind and asked if I could wait. I agreed.

After checking in, the young lady at the desk asked me to fill out some forms. I sat in the waiting area where chairs had been moved six feet apart with each chair positioned on top of a taped marker on the floor. When I delivered my completed forms to the woman at the desk, she asked if I would like anything to eat or drink. She brought a can of orange juice and wiped the can with a disinfectant wipe prior to giving it to me. She came back to the waiting area a few times to disinfect chairs and make sure they were on the proper “X”after anyone got up. She also wiped down the laminated instruction sheets that all donors needed to read. She continued to ask if I was comfortable and if I wanted another drink or something to eat.

I was there for about two and a half hours in total. It was obvious that each person’s job had become much more tedious to keep the donors safe during their visit. But everyone I spoke with was cheerful, polite and hospitable. Everyone thanked me for donating blood. I was impressed, not only by their dedication but by their attitudes. I felt safe and welcome and walked away with a smile on my face feeling a little better about society as a whole.