The Donor Cafe is the table where volunteers hand out cookies and juice to the blood donors. Here are some tips from Community Blood Center. You must read these tips before going to your shift: 1)The period following blood donation is very important. After leaving the drawing area, the donor must sit down and drink some type of liquid refreshment (preferably sweetened fruit juice or a soft drink). This is intended to help replace the calories and fluid lost during donation. Donors must remain at the cafe for 5-10 minutes. 2)There is no required menu. It can be as simple as fruit juice and cookies or as elaborate as a full meal. This is the decision of the sponsoring group. 3)Volunteers attending the cafe should either serve the donor after he/she has been seated or have the refreshments already set on the table. Donors should not have to serve themselves. It is important that they be seated as soon a possible. 4)Reactions do not occur often, but occasionally a donor will have a reaction and have to return to the drawing area. Donors should never be left unattended! Signs to watch for are: paleness, weakness, repeated yawning, suddenly feeling very warm or nausea. If a reaction does occur, stay with the donor and call one of the attending staff. Have the donor sit on the floor or lay down with his/her feet elevated. 5)Conversation in the cafe should be light. It is appropriate to ask a donor how he/she feels, but discourage conversations about how pale a donor looks, negative reactions, fainting, etc. It could have an impact on the donor. 6) It is Community Blood Center's policy to keep in the strictest confidence all information about a donor's medical history and required labroratory test results. PLEASE DO NOT ASK ANY DONOR ABOUT THEIR MEDICAL HISTORY, LAB TEST RESULTS OR WHY THEY ARE UNABLE TO DONATE. Make sure the donor feels welcome to refreshments even though they were unable to donate. 7) If you have any questions or if any problems arise while you are attending the cafe, please do not hesitate to contact the nursing supervisor, who will be glad to help resolve any problems. If you have any other questions, feel free to email me.