Paula’s story

No two days are the same as a Registered Nurse working in PFM. It’s busy, varied, and as the Plasma Operations Manager, I’m responsible for a team of 15 staff of registered nurses and healthcare assistants and make sure donations are collected safely and efficiently – so there’s always something to do!

Day to day, we see if potential donors meet certain eligibility requirements before they can register to donate. The pre-donation screening is the same as blood donation, and plasma is collected by apheresis, with the procedure currently taking about 45 minutes on average.

We’re currently validating new plasmapheresis technology, which in future could potentially mean donation times are quicker, so we can collect higher volume donations and also open up plasma donation to a wider pool of donors. Plasma donors can donate fortnightly, so it’s important that we’re providing a positive experience, so our donors come back regularly.

I’m lucky to work with an amazing group of dedicated and hard-working staff. The PFM directorate is an evolving and innovative place to work, and I’m looking forward to the future and what happens next.