A woman who has always lived in malaria-free countries returned 6 weeks ago from a 2-week trip to a malaria-endemic area and has had no fever. Under FDA guidance (2020) used by AABB-accredited centres, what is the decision for whole blood donation?

Defer until 3 months after leaving the endemic area

Accept today, as she has had no symptoms

Defer until 3 years after leaving the endemic area

Defer until 12 months after leaving the endemic area

Two days after donating, a donor phones to report fever and diarrhea that started the day after donation. What should the blood centre do first?

Quarantine or recall the components from that donation

Note the call, as illness after donation does not matter

Release the components and notify the recipients' doctors

Defer the donor permanently and keep the components

Under AABB Standards, a donor who received two red cell units after a road accident 5 months ago should be:

Deferred until 12 months after the transfusion

Accepted, since more than 3 months have passed

Deferred until 6 months after the transfusion

Deferred permanently from donating blood

Donor selection and blood collection

13 DOH Abu Dhabi (HAAD) lab licensing practice questions on Donor selection and blood collection, part of Blood Banking. The first 13 are below; the first 5 with answers and explanations (tap Show answer after you have chosen), the rest in Learn with a free account.

Question 1 · Easy
A donor deferral that has no set end date, but may be lifted if rules or tests change, is called:
1. ASelf-deferral
2. BPermanent deferral
3. CIndefinite deferral
4. DTemporary deferral
Show answerHide answer
Answer: C · Indefinite deferral
AABB uses three kinds of deferral. A temporary deferral has a fixed period, such as 12 months after a transfusion. An indefinite deferral has no end date at present, but the donor may be re-entered later if requirements change or a re-entry algorithm allows it. A permanent deferral means the donor can never give blood for others, for example after a confirmed HIV infection.
- A: Self-deferral is a donor's own choice not to give blood; it is not a type of centre deferral.
- B: A permanent deferral can never be lifted.
- D: A temporary deferral ends after a set time.
Question 2 · Hard
A woman who has always lived in malaria-free countries returned 6 weeks ago from a 2-week trip to a malaria-endemic area and has had no fever. Under FDA guidance (2020) used by AABB-accredited centres, what is the decision for whole blood donation?
1. ADefer until 3 months after leaving the endemic area
2. BAccept today, as she has had no symptoms
3. CDefer until 3 years after leaving the endemic area
4. DDefer until 12 months after leaving the endemic area
Show answerHide answer
Answer: A · Defer until 3 months after leaving the endemic area
Travellers to a malaria-endemic area who have never lived in one are deferred for 3 months after leaving it; the FDA shortened this from 12 months in 2020. Only 6 weeks have passed, so she can return once 3 months are complete. The 3-year deferral applies to people who have had malaria or who lived in an endemic country, as they may carry low-level parasites without symptoms. Rules differ between countries, so a centre follows its own national standard.
- B: Infected travellers may carry parasites before symptoms start.
- C: 3 years applies to former residents of endemic countries and people who have had malaria.
- D: 12 months was the travel deferral before the 2020 FDA revision.
Question 3 · Medium
Two days after donating, a donor phones to report fever and diarrhea that started the day after donation. What should the blood centre do first?
1. AQuarantine or recall the components from that donation
2. BNote the call, as illness after donation does not matter
3. CRelease the components and notify the recipients' doctors
4. DDefer the donor permanently and keep the components
Show answerHide answer
Answer: A · Quarantine or recall the components from that donation
Illness soon after donation suggests that the donor may have had bacteremia or a viral infection at the time of collection. The centre should quarantine components not yet transfused, recall any already shipped, and assess the risk with its medical director. Post-donation information like this is a recognised safety step, and donors are asked to report illness after giving blood. If a component was already transfused, the recipient's doctor is told so that the patient can be followed up.
- B: Illness within days of donation may mean the blood was infectious when collected.
- C: Components should be held while the risk is assessed, not released.
- D: The urgent step concerns the components; a short illness is not a reason for permanent deferral.
Question 4 · Easy
A standard collection bag holds 63 mL of CPD for 450 mL of blood. This ratio of anticoagulant to blood is about:
1. A2.8 mL per 10 mL of blood
2. B1.4 mL per 10 mL of blood
3. C1 mL per 4 mL of blood
4. D1 mL per 9 mL of blood
Show answerHide answer
Answer: B · 1.4 mL per 10 mL of blood
63 ÷ 450 = 0.14, so the bag has 1.4 mL of CPD for every 10 mL of blood; 70 mL in a 500 mL bag gives the same ratio. The citrate binds calcium to stop clotting, and the dextrose and phosphate support red cell metabolism. Too little blood for the anticoagulant volume leaves excess citrate, which is why low-volume units are restricted. The blood is mixed with the anticoagulant throughout collection to prevent clots.
- A: 2.8 mL per 10 mL is double the correct ratio.
- C: 1 to 4 is the ratio used in citrate ESR tubes.
- D: 1 to 9 is the ratio in sodium citrate coagulation tubes.
Question 5 · Medium
Under AABB Standards, a donor who received two red cell units after a road accident 5 months ago should be:
1. AAccepted, since more than 3 months have passed
2. BDeferred until 6 months after the transfusion
3. CDeferred permanently from donating blood
4. DDeferred until 12 months after the transfusion
Show answerHide answer
Answer: D · Deferred until 12 months after the transfusion
Receiving blood components, like other exposures to another person's blood, carries a small risk of acquiring an infection that was in its window period. AABB and the FDA therefore defer donors for 12 months after a transfusion, after which any such infection would be found by routine testing. This donor can return 7 months from now, provided all other criteria are met.
- A: 3 months is too short; the rule is 12 months after the transfusion.
- B: 6 months is shorter than the 12-month AABB deferral.
- C: AABB does not defer transfusion recipients permanently.
Question 6 · Easy
Under WHO donor selection guidance, the minimum hemoglobin for a male whole blood donor is:
1. A120 g/L (12.0 g/dL)
2. B130 g/L (13.0 g/dL)
3. C140 g/L (14.0 g/dL)
4. D125 g/L (12.5 g/dL)
Answer and explanation in LearnFree account
Question 7 · Medium
A donor lists four medicines taken in the past month. Under the AABB donor history medication list, which one gives the longest deferral?
1. AAcitretin
2. BIsotretinoin
3. CDutasteride
4. DFinasteride
Answer and explanation in LearnFree account
Question 8 · Easy
By WHO guidance, the minimum body weight for a donor giving 450 mL of whole blood is:
1. A50 kg
2. B60 kg
3. C45 kg
4. D55 kg
Answer and explanation in LearnFree account
Question 9 · Hard
A plateletpheresis donor gave platelets on Monday and again on Wednesday. Under AABB Standards and FDA guidance, what is the earliest day she may donate platelets again?
1. AFriday of the same week
2. BThursday of the same week
3. CEight weeks after the first donation
4. DThe following Monday
Answer and explanation in LearnFree account
Question 10 · Medium
Pre-donation checks are done under AABB and FDA criteria. Which finding defers the donor today?
1. APulse 58 beats/min, regular
2. BBlood pressure 186/96 mm Hg
3. CHemoglobin 136 g/L (13.6 g/dL)
4. DTemperature 37.0 °C
Answer and explanation in LearnFree account
Question 11 · Medium
Collection into a 450 mL bag (63 mL CPD) stops after only 340 mL of blood. Under AABB Standards, how may the unit be used?
1. ARed cells only, labeled as a low-volume unit
2. BAll components, as for a full-volume unit
3. CNone; the whole unit must be discarded
4. DPlasma and platelets only; red cells discarded
Answer and explanation in LearnFree account
Question 12 · Easy
A healthy donor had a vaccine last week. Which vaccine needs a temporary deferral?
1. ATetanus-diphtheria toxoid
2. BPneumococcal polysaccharide
3. CMeasles-mumps-rubella (live)
4. DInactivated influenza
Answer and explanation in LearnFree account
Question 13 · Hard
A 34-year-old woman attends a hospital donor centre in Abu Dhabi to give whole blood. The centre applies WHO-based criteria: weight at least 45 kg for a 350 mL donation and at least 50 kg for 450 mL; hemoglobin at least 120 g/L (12.0 g/dL) for women; at least 16 weeks since a woman's last whole blood donation; temperature not above 37.5 °C. Her findings: weight 48 kg, capillary hemoglobin 124 g/L (12.4 g/dL), last donation 20 weeks ago, temperature 36.7 °C, pulse 74/min, blood pressure 116/72 mm Hg. Bags in stock: 450 mL bags with 63 mL CPD and 350 mL bags with 49 mL CPD. What should the staff do?
1. ADefer her because she is under 50 kg
2. BCollect 350 mL into a 350 mL bag
3. CCollect 450 mL into a 450 mL bag
4. DCollect 350 mL into a 450 mL bag
Answer and explanation in LearnFree account

Donor selection and blood collection

A donor deferral that has no set end date, but may be lifted if rules or tests change, is called:

A woman who has always lived in malaria-free countries returned 6 weeks ago from a 2-week trip to a malaria-endemic area and has had no fever. Under FDA guidance (2020) used by AABB-accredited centres, what is the decision for whole blood donation?

Two days after donating, a donor phones to report fever and diarrhea that started the day after donation. What should the blood centre do first?

A standard collection bag holds 63 mL of CPD for 450 mL of blood. This ratio of anticoagulant to blood is about:

Under AABB Standards, a donor who received two red cell units after a road accident 5 months ago should be:

Under WHO donor selection guidance, the minimum hemoglobin for a male whole blood donor is:

A donor lists four medicines taken in the past month. Under the AABB donor history medication list, which one gives the longest deferral?

By WHO guidance, the minimum body weight for a donor giving 450 mL of whole blood is:

A plateletpheresis donor gave platelets on Monday and again on Wednesday. Under AABB Standards and FDA guidance, what is the earliest day she may donate platelets again?

Pre-donation checks are done under AABB and FDA criteria. Which finding defers the donor today?

Collection into a 450 mL bag (63 mL CPD) stops after only 340 mL of blood. Under AABB Standards, how may the unit be used?

A healthy donor had a vaccine last week. Which vaccine needs a temporary deferral?