CSL Plasma — Local services in Hampden Township

This is my only experience with a plasma center, so I can’t speak to how it usually is or how other centers are.

They’re usually always busy. No matter what time you go. Lately, lines for vitals check is at the minimum an hour. Line for a bed can range anywhere from 30 minutes to 2 hours.

The staff seem overworked and that presents itself as them being kind of rude. Especially most of the ladies that check vitals. I get they deal with a lot of people and there can be some rude donors, but not all of us are rude. The phlebs have all been wonderful, in my experience. They’re nice and seem to do a great job at minimizing pain when sticking you with that 14 g needle!

The new machines honestly don’t seem that much faster to me. On the old machines I could donate in 35 minutes. My time on the new machines is 31 minutes 😂 I will say I like the new machines because they don’t sound like they’re about to explode mid-donation!

The building is clean. The only gripe I have is they don’t change gloves between each patient, but I imagine if you asked they probably would.

Also, a tip. Don’t rely on plasma donation as a source of income. You will be deferred at some point for something. Whether it be a high pulse rate, high BP, low hematocrit, or high protein. I was deferred for 56 days back in September because of a machine malfunction. I say this just so you know going in that you can’t rely on the money. It is important to note that these deferrals are outside the control of the staff. They have to make sure you are healthy enough to donate! Also, hydrate and eat...

My experience at CSL was completely inappropriate and disrespectful. I was told that because I am transgender I wouldn't be able to donate. I visited twice, once to create a profile (disclosing medical information & my LGBT status) and had no problems. I came back a second time to complete the donation process as a first time donor, and right before they began the process (I literally had iodine swabbed onto my arm) I was told by Michelle (chelle) at the Carlisle location that I wouldn't be able to donate because I am transgender. This discrimination is completely unacceptable, especially since it was my second time there and only Michelle had a problem with it. This is the same nurse who made disrespectful comments about other donor's weight, was annoyed because my eyes were dark while checking my pupils, and responded completely unprofessional when I answered her questions about my medical history. This is a mixture of obvious, disrespectful discrimination and embarrassingly immature unprofessionalism. I don't even know what route to go through for this situation but thought I would start here. I wanted to donate plasma because I wanted to help others and needed to make some extra cash along the way. I was at CSL for over three hours total and was not compensated for ANY of my time there. Would not recommend. 0/10. Will be seeking further justice for this...

Let’s see.. just in the past week this is what has happened to my fiancée:

They placed the lines wrong in his arm and set the machine up wrong. So the machine was not returning his red blood cells to him. They all were freaking out once someone realized something was wrong. Then tried to make it seem like it was no big deal yet made him sit there for over an hour chugging powerade.

Next time he went he was denied being able to donate because his hematocrit was too low. The screener failed to fill the blood tube to the red line like they are supposed to. So not enough blood was taken to test. Today he went to donate and again they did not fill the tube to the red line. This time he stopped the screener and told them they better not test that until they fill it to the red line. The lady looked at him like he was an idiot and said it doesn’t matter. He said well then why is there a fill line? She just looked at him like a dummy and then took more blood.

Today, after donating he didn’t check his card right away. It was supposed to be a $45 donation day for him. We just stopped at the grocery store and his card was declined. He checks it on the atm and there is .32 on there. They never paid him for his donation today.

This place used to be decent but lately they are really sucking. They need to get...