Figure a half hour or so total: 10 minutes for screening, 20 for the donation itself. Depending where you go, when you go, and whether they do appointments, you may need to add for a wait.
The pre-donation exam consists of taking your blood pressure and temperature; *****ing your finger for a drop of blood for the iron test; and a long questionaire (about 60 questions).
Here in Dallas, there are 2 main agencies, red cross and carter bloodcare. At the red cross here in Dallas, you don't get your iron level. They just see if a drop of blood sinks, so all you know is whether your iron is too low or not. I know Carter used to mail you your cholesterol, I don't know if they still do, but red cross doesn't.
Over the last two decades, the list of folks who shouldn't donate has grown, now including travel restrictions
(due to both AIDS and Mad Cow), new drug prohibitions (Accutane, Propecia), and AIDS risk factors. This makes it all the more important that those of us who can donate, so.