Talecris Plasma Resources

I’ve been donating at Talecris since August 2011. My first appointment took about 3 hours and I got lucky because I was a walk-​in and they made room for me. Since then, they have changed the rules so you have to make an appointment every single time… the wait time has been significantly reduced since they started doing that. Everyone I have encountered at the center is friendly and willing to answer questions. I enjoy going to Talecris twice a week to a) get out of the house, and b) make a little bit of extra money.
It is important to remember to eat a balanced meal both the day before and the day of your donation and to drink plenty of water. If you eat really fatty foods before donating, they may not be able to use your plasma… so be conscious of what you put in your body. Also be sure to rehydrate yourself well afterwards. It’s not like donating blood… they don’t provide any snacks or juice (although they do have vending machines).

I donated plasma for the first time last Friday, so this is more of a FAQ than an actual review. The staff were nice, and the other patients where interesting to listen to. You will see a variety of people: college students, professionals, blue collar workers, and «ghetto people».
I’ll begin by telling you that you’re not going to get rich by donating your plasma. Yes, you’ll have little extra cash in your pocket but don’t quit your day job. Or your night job for that matter, LOL!
Your journey begins by actually visiting the Talecris facility and setting-​up an appointment. Whatever day you choose, make sure your schedule is clear because first-​time donors wait the longest (because of processing you into the system, etc). The Talecris website says that first-​timers usually wait about two hours, but it’s more like four (the place is typically packed).
You should bring:
1. Your social security card and a valid driver’s license or state ID.
2. A MP3 player, book, Kindle, or laptop.
3. Drink PLENTY of water (or Gatorade) the day before your appointment. Soda and alcohol don’t count!
Once you’ve signed in, you must sit and wait for your name to be called. You will be given a booklet explaining the process and what qualifies or disqualifies you from donating. If you’ve ever donated blood, the requirements are basically the same.
Then you’ll wait some more…
Your name will be called again and staff will take you to a room where they prick your finger to test your blood sugar level and ask you a series of questions.
Then you’ll wait some more…
You will then be taken to an examination room for your physical. They test your pulse, blood pressure, etc. The only thing they didn’t do is grab my balls and tell me to cough, LOL!
Then, you guessed it…
Finally, you will be taken to an area with a bunch of cots. Because you are a first-​timer, the staff (mine has the prettiest green eyes) will explain the entire process to you. This is also why you should bring a mp3 player or something to kill the boredom, because cell phones are not allowed while donating (the machines work off the same frequency), you will be asked to turn it off or mute the sound and put it away.
They stick you with the needle (similar to donating blood), and the entire process takes about 45 minutes. The more hydrated your body is, the faster the process. You are then paid.
The pay for a first-​timer is about $ 50, but I was lucky enough that I coincidentally donated during a promotion where first-​timers got $ 75. Subsequent visits pay roughly $ 30 to $ 40, and last between one to one and a half hours.
Other than the waiting, my first experience at Talecris was positive.