Grifols (Formerly Known As Canadian Plasma Resources) - Edmonton

I had a lovely experience here. Jaime was my phlebotomist and she was quick and knowledgeable. I have nothing bad to say about this place. My partner has been going here for the past year. I have only recently been able to donate due to being postpartum. I was there for 2 hours and 15 minutes exactly. My donation time was around one hour. It’s 12 and I am still waiting on the deposit but I know it can take up to afternoon time. I am expecting 100$. This is not like donating blood at the Canadian blood service it’s a completely different process. You’re saving lives and being compensated. 100% recommend!

I’ve been donating about 7 months and the vast majority of my donations have been a positive experience. If theres one thing I wish Grifols would improve, it would be streamlining the check in and screening process because it can be inconsistent. Sometimes it takes 5-10 minutes to get to the donation hall, other times it can take 30-40 minutes, regardless of how busy it is or how many donors are waiting. My guess is that it just depends on which screeners are working on any given day because some are noticeably faster and more efficient than others. As far as the donation process itself, I’ve only had one negative experience with a collapsed vein which resulted in a bruise which cleared up in a couple weeks. The donation hall staff have always been professional and helpful. Honorarium is always paid the day after donation, regardless of weekends or holidays which is nice. Overall I would recommend Grifols to anyone looking for a reasonable amount of extra side money, but just be prepared to have your patience tested in the waiting room at times.

I had another disappointing experience during my visit. One Nurse Jan spoke to me in a way that felt condescending, repeatedly asking the same questions and treating me as though I wasn’t capable of answering clearly. After answering multiple times, I was told to read the code of conduct, which felt inappropriate given the situation.nnWhen I brought this concern to management, I felt dismissed. Instead of addressing the issue, my concerns were minimized with the explanation that the manager “knows him.” This response made it clear that my experience was not being taken seriously.nnIt is not acceptable for donors to feel disrespected behind closed doors, and even less acceptable for those concerns to be dismissed when raised. Everyone involved — donors, nurses, receptionists, and phlebotomists — deserves to be treated with respect.nnI’m leaving once again with a negative experience, which is disappointing considering the importance of donor care.

I’ve been to this plasma donation centre twice now, and unfortunately my experience in the donation room was extremely disappointing and concerning.nnTo be clear, the front desk staff and intake nurses were wonderful both times. They were kind, welcoming, professional, and made the beginning of the process feel comfortable. On my second visit especially, the staff at the front were very sweet and respectful.nnHowever, the moment I entered the donation room, the entire atmosphere changed.nnThe environment immediately felt hostile, tense, and unprofessional. The attitude difference between the front staff and the donation room staff was honestly shocking.nnDuring my second visit, things escalated beyond just poor attitude and became an issue of competence and donor safety.nnI was directed to a chair by a nurse who told me she would be handling my donation, but she disappeared and never returned initially. Another staff member then stepped in and attempted the procedure instead.nnBefore the procedure even began, I could overhear conversation between staff in Pidgin which I understand to some extent, though they clearly did not realize this. One staff member, Charles, openly complained about hating his job and not being able to wait until he found a better one. They also discussed using a different insertion technique despite one of the nurses expressing she was unfamiliar and uncomfortable with it.nnAs a donor — especially someone still relatively new to the process — hearing that before a needle is inserted into your arm is not reassuring at all.nnOnce the insertion started, I immediately knew something was wrong. Unlike my first donation, this insertion was painful from the start. The needle was being adjusted and moved around repeatedly in my arm while the pressure cuff was tightened to an extremely uncomfortable level.nnWhen I mentioned the discomfort, I overheard Charles make a dismissive comment in Pidgin implying I was “acting like a child in pain,” despite the fact that I remained completely cooperative throughout the entire process. I never raised my voice, moved my arm, or interfered with the procedure in any way.nnThe staff themselves acknowledged multiple times that the vein had been missed and that the arm likely should no longer be used — yet they still continued trying to proceed with the same arm anyway. Eventually the blood clotted in the tubing and started returning through the line, at which point they finally stopped and called the original nurse back over after going back and forth about who should get her.nnAt that point, I was informed the procedure could not continue safely and that my arm would likely bruise and require aftercare because of what had happened.nnThe only positive part of that entire situation was another nurse who later came over and spoke to me kindly while explaining how to care for the bruising.nnI ultimately left without completing my donation and honestly do not feel comfortable returning.nnPlasma donation is a medical procedure. Donors should feel safe, respected, and confident in the people handling needles and blood collection. Unfortunately, that was not the experience I had in the donation room at this centre.

I've gone twice now, with my 3rd appointment tomorrow. Both times the staff were great; they are incredibly professional and efficient. I've never donated plasma before so this was all new to me. The phlebotomist who inserted the needle was wonderful at explaining everything, I really appreciated that. The first appointment definitely is a longer process, but I knew that going in. Lots of questions, confirming id, and medical history.nnI want to add, the information on the website and emails are very clear about the expectations, dietary and hydration preparations prior to the appointment and required documentation upon arrival. After reading a couple of recent reviews I have to say that anyone who says differently just isn't taking accountability for their role in the process.nnYou have to complete a really lengthy questionnaire before each appointment. For me that's the most tedious part, but it's just part of the process.nnIt's an incredibly easy way to make some money. Both times the funds were e-transfered to me with 24 hours. If you can complete 12 appointments in 8 weeks the payouts are: $100 each time for first 3 visits, the $70 each time for visits #4-9, $120 for the 10th visit, $70 for 11th, then $100 for the 12th. So basically $1000 earned in 2 months.

Directions to Grifols (Formerly Known As Canadian Plasma Resources) - Edmonton with public transportation

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