Vitalant Blood Donation- Boulder

"I've given blood since 2000 across multiple states. This facility is the slowest. In 24 years I cannot remember ever having the process around the donation - the private room screening, the time in the seat before someone sticks a needle in you, etc - take as long as it does at this facility. I have avoided this facility for years this reason but recently there stopped being any convenient alternatives on Vitalant's schedule so I started going back. My last donation was just plain unacceptable. I donated power red. That's 20-30 min with a needle in my arm and it should take roughly 1 hr total. It took 2 hrs this time for no good reason. They just didn't seem to care that they made me wait 30 min here and 30 min there for things that shouldn't have had any wait at all. There are systemic problems at this facility. It is always slow and I'm often left wondering if the phlebotomist helping me is trying to help too many donors at once. At a blood mobile or Recreation Center donation site it is usually 1 phleb per donor seat or 1 phleb to every 2 adjacent seats when that phleb has enough experience. At the Boulder facility it is often 1 phleb to 1.5 or 2 seats. Which should be fine except... (1) they are often not adjacent seats and (2) it is common for 2 or more phlebs to not be helping donors leaving the phleb(s) helping donors are at a ratio of 1 phleb to 3+ donors. While (1) seems minor it means that when more than 1 phleb is taking care of donors, those phlebs are constantly crossing each other's paths while they walk from 1 donor to another. They are doing so quickly which frequently leads to bumping into each and minor accidents. The accidents are minor only until one of them gets hurt. Or they fall on a donor who has a needle in their arm. The bigger issue is (2). In the times I've been to this facility, it is common that enough phlebs are available to maintain a 1:1.5 or 2 ratio but they don't because at least 2 phlebs are doing something other than helping donors. Leaving the phlebs that are helping donors at a ratio of 1:3+. In these scenarios, the phleb taking care of you is doing so in a hurried fashion while constantly turning their head to check on another donor. It leaves me wondering what mistake they are going to make on my arm because they are too distracted."

"I rarely write reviews but wanted to express my thanks and admiration for the team at Vitalant in Boulder today, and specifically mention Kelly and Starr. I wanted to donate blood though I'm not a good patient after having had a bad experience many years ago. Kelly and Starr put me at ease and walked me through the whole process smoothly and without any pain or discomfort. Thank you to Kelly and Starr and the entire team, you are wonderful and are deeply appreciated. Scott V."

"Today I donated blood and had a really great experience. They seemed to be having some technical troubles but they were communicative about why it was causing some longer wait times. The woman who was doing the actual blood draw for me was so kind and calm and was making sure I was eating and drinking enough to stay well throughout the appointment. She opened my snack packages for me and was closely watching to make sure I was doing alright. I believe her name was Stacy and she gave the kind of care I'd hope to always get when I go to any medical facility."

"I have donated at this location for close to ten years, but the service has been declining for the past couple of years. The system crashed today, which I understand is out of their control, and led to a delay. However, when I asked for an update 30 minutes into the delay, I was told we "don't know" and "this happens all of the time." When I was about to leave and reschedule, the system came back online and I was taken into the back for vitals. The system then crashed again and I had to enter the questionnaire again. The staff also just did not make eye contact or speak directly to me or other donors during the donation process, creating an atmosphere of dispassion and distance. I suggest working on customer service skills for donors to feel more welcome. Thank you for listening."

"This was my first time donating blood in the US. I've donated blood a couple of times in the Netherlands before. There I've had learned that though it is somewhat difficult to find my veins (as they are quite deep) it has never been a real problem. Until now. It looked like the phlebotomist knew what she was doing, but she was not successful in getting the needle right. Another colleague needed to fix it, but is was not pleasant at all. It has been a few days and it still hurts, in addition to the big bruise that has been caused. The phlebotomist also did not check whether everything was ok afterwards. One of her colleagues did ask so that was nice, but I don't think I'll return. One last remark: it would be of minimum effort to have healthy salty snacks ready after the blood donation, e.g. salted nuts. What they display are unhealthy and without many vegan options. People that donate do this voluntarily.. to have a good healthy snack afterwards is the least you can do."