Faints

Delayed Faint:
Is a faint that occurs after the donor has left the donation venue.

Must not donate if:
a) History of an unexplained delayed faint.

b) Two consecutive faints following or during donation.

A donor with a history of a feeling faint on more than one occasion may be accepted following a thorough assessment by a Registered Health Care Professional.

If a donor with a history of fainting is accepted, careful observation is required.

Vasovagal events can range in severity.

When assessing a donor’s eligibility to continue to donate following a previous vasovagal event, the Registered Health Care Professional should consider:

• Any contributory factors before and after the donation?
• Was there prolonged recovery after the previous vasovagal event?
• Did the donor sustain an injury?
• Did the donor require treatment from a Health Care Professional outside the blood service?

An unexplained delayed faint occurs when there is no obvious reason for the faint, other than the history of donation. Events that might contribute to a delayed faint would be exertion, dehydration, exposure to an unpleasant situation, or standing for prolonged periods.

A previous history of faints increases the likelihood of a severe adverse reaction to donation.

Updated to include guidance on assessing donors who report a previous vasovagal reaction during or after blood donation.

If you wish to obtain more information regarding a personal medical issue please contact your National Help Line.

Please do not contact this web site for personal medical queries, as we are not in a position to provide individual answers.