American Red Cross
Reviews and Complaints

I just wanted to make you aware of the challenges I had during my last blood donation. It was at the end of the day at the American Legion in Waxhaw, NC. 4/15 at 5:30. Normally, I have a pleasant experience when donating blood. I wondered if it was because it was the end of the day and they were ready to go. Some of the nurses were cleaning up things while I was waiting. After a 20 minute wait after my appointment time I was checked in and cleared for my blood donation. The gentleman had trouble finding my vein which is an extremely unusual occurrence when I donate. After 2 other nurses checked he marked my arm in a spot off center. (The red spot in the picture) He inserted the needle (I felt the normal sting) and missed the vein because no blood came out. Then the other nurse came over and moved the needle around to try. I let him know that it was hurting at that point. He stopped and the third nurse came to try. She stated she would feel around first then try. She then moved the needle around got the vein, however, I informed her that I was in pain and they needed to stop and take the needle out. Throughout the whole process they left the needle in my arm and multiple people wiggled it around to find the vein instead of taking it out and starting again. The picture below shows the bruise on my arm. Which she did say would happen. She then wrapped my arm in ice. She informed me they would make my donation incomplete and I can schedule another appointment. I always enjoy giving blood and was very disappointed over this experience.

West Chester Donor center. The manger is rude. She talk rude to staff and donors. Her name is Michelle
It could be very busy she will not get up and help the other employees. Donors be waiting for 45 min to a hour jut to give blood. What's the point of having an appointment.

Dear Madams and Sirs,
I am Registered Nurse. I volunteered to donate blood at the YMCA today in Los Angeles 90045.
The Red Cross staff were using the ORAL Thermometers to check the donors' temperatures.
I froze from fear feeling I could get infected with Covid right there at the door. I asked the volunteer to clean the Thermometer and she did. I took my double face mask off and the face shield off and I did open my mouth so she could check my temperature orally under my tounge.
I was beyond scared and frustrated exposing myself to this risk. Its a huge risk to even take the face masks off!
After that I waited 30 min outside before they called me inside. I noticed that nurses check the temperatures again (!) with the same kind of ORAL Thermometers! I refused the risk again. I spoke to the RN in charge and I left. If the Red Cross is not going to upgrade to the No Touch Thermometers - this is going to turn to the Covid Super Spreader Event. This is not acceptable during Covid to use the Oral Equipment from one mouth to another! No hospitals are using oral Thermometers anymore. This is a serious negligence and bad medical practice and putting donors at risk of being infected with Covid. You lost a blood donor today and I will not be willing to come back because I don't feel safe donating blood to the Red Cross. Your business practices during Covid are unacceptable. You are putting people at risk of being infected with Covid!
Eva Zareba
Cell [protected]

Let me begin by saying I have donated blood for over 45 years with over 70 successful donations. This does not include the many times I was unable to donate due to low iron levels. While every donation is a different experience in one way or another, I have never felt the need to issue a complaint about a donation..until now. The phlebotomist (I do not remember her name but I am sure it is documented in my donation record) had trouble getting the needle in correctly and had to adjust several times (not the first time this has happened, not a problem in itself). She started by telling me I was "squeezing too tight" on the hand stick while she was trying to make the stick. I was not. She then told me not to move my arm around. I did not move a hair. I know the drill. I never flinched from where she placed my arm. Then once she was done inserting the needle and taping things off she told me to start the on/off squeezing of the stick and counting. I have done this a million times, I have my own rhythm and counting system in my head, the same as I've done for over 45 years. Never has anyone said a word about my technique. She did. She proceeded to tell me (in a loud voice) that I was doing it wrong and stood there showing me out loud how to count to 5 and so on. This was humiliating to say the least. At some point she told me I was going to fast, to slow down and I noticed she was paying a lot of attention to my collection bag of blood. As I continued to pump she started pushing my arm down, like she was trying to make it flat as a pancake. It was as flat as it could possibly be already. She then started to play around with the site of the needle and put pressure on that spot, not a very comfortable feeling. I was about to ask what she was doing, when she asked another one of the ladies for assistance. No one came right away and she continued to play around with my arm, pushing and holding it down. I just wanted to leave at this point, but of course I could not. Finally she asked for assistance a second time and another one of the ladies came over to take a look. She said the blood was coming out slowly and they needed to get it flowing better so as not to cause clotting at the site. She said my vein was "rolling around" which was causing the problem. I say it was a bad stick to begin with. She did some adjusting at the needle site and moved my arm/wrist around until things were moving better. I restarted the process and it was ok for a few minutes then alarms went off so more adjustments to my arm/wrist and the addition of a blood pressure cuff on my arm. After that I finished the process and was told to stop squeezing, I was done. I can honestly say that I was upset at that point. I was grateful, for the firs time ever, to be wearing a mask so as to hide the displeasure on my face to some degree. It took every fiber of my being not to say something unkind to the original phlebotomist about my experience. I quietly listened to her discharge instructions and left the table. It was not the technical problems that upset me, these things happen. It was her attitude and getting on me about my counting, moving my arm, etc.. like I was a little child. It was humiliating, infuriating and insulting. I have never had this experience and never will again. I have decided to stop donating at this point. I don't need the hassle at my age.

The place I was renting, 2150 n stanley st philadelphia fire broke out on this veterans days just pass around 6am in the morning, a red cross employee steve came out, I told him I gave the landlord $800 on the 3rd of nov for a room, me and the landlord was going back in forth about the fire, but like the chief inspector said if the landlord had a smoke detector in my room I could had stop the smoke from the electrical fire, so I had only been there a week, I ask the land lord can he give me the difference of what I paid, steve the red cross worker pulled the landlord aside and made a deal with him without me even having a say so in the matter, told him to keep the money I gave him for nov, but give back my security deposit, and he will tell the chief inspector not to. Mention there were no smoke detector in my room, I told him where the $400 then they said I had to wait a week it's been past a week and I have still not received my security deposit, steve said if I don't receive it, he will remind the landlord how much money he saved him by keeping the smoke detector under the rug, so we hen I called steve like he told me the second time, steve the red cross worker said I am bothering him, now i'm out of all my $800 because of the deal steve made with my landlord, I told steve he gonna play him, but he would not listen to me, thanks for your help, this is how they treat a veteran on veteran day, can you. Please help me thanks mr robinson.

The Red Cross scheduled a blood drive at Half Priced Books in Frisco, TX for 10/24/2020. Of course I was signed up for a slot and walked over to this drive as I had done many times in the past. Upon arrival, there was no drive and no one around. I did not receive any call or notice. Actually, quite to the contrary, I received several reminders throughout the day via email and the app. It was very frustrating, and I was not the only one. The Manager at Half Priced books reported that many others had come in as well.

I did call Red Cross, and they told me that the drive was cancelled, and they would have someone call and apologize and explain. That NEVER happened. I do not think the Red Cross really even could care less about donors. I've donated 66 pints throughout my life to RC, but that was my last! Probably many others who wasted their time going to this "drive", may do the same.

Horribly handled and even worse follow-up.

One of your employees, Albert Flores, from Brookshire Texas, while dressed in official ARC clothing with shirt, hat, and vest, has been consistently harassing volunteer firefighters. He has already had a restraining order against him for stalking the Chief. Today he was parked outside that department with his lights shining on them. When the firemen asked if he needed anything he became angry and started cussing and yelling. This event was recorded. It looks very bad on the American Red Cross to be represented by an individual that acts out in an aggressive manner at volunteers.

I signed up and paid $177.00 for a Red Cross CPR class for August 5, 2020 at 11:30 am. The week before the class Red Cross changed the date to August 6, 2020 at 11:30 am. There was a conflict in my schedule and I was not able to attend the class on August 6, 2020. I called Red Cross and asked if I could take the class with an affiliate of theirs that I saw on their website. They said yes, so I cancelled the August 6th class and paid $85.00 for CPR Training with Gifted Hands on Thursday, August 6, 2020bat 4:45 pm. After 4 days I emailed Gifted Hands to check the status of my certificate. She said she submitted my name to Red Cross on Friday, August 7, 2020. As of yet, I have not received my CPR certificate.

Documents, emails and proof of payments are readily available if needed.
Please address my concern and process my CPR certificate as soon as possible.

7/31/20 - ARC phlebotomist - Allana Beyar ruined our blood drive and we were forced to cancel it. She bad mouthed our organization & lied about the employees not wearing face masks. She herself did not wear a face mask but only 50% of the time that she was here and did not enforce the others in her group to wear face coverings. She spoke unprofessionally regarding out stringent safety policies and was rude to our employees and to Diana - the coordinator for the ARC. We made concessions to accomodate the drive and because of Allana, we had to cancel due to her fabricating that we were and unsafe organization.

I went to Durham Blood Center. Was told there that since I was a nurse who had cared for covid patients in the last 28 days that I wasn't eligible to donate. First-as a nurse we could be unaware of covid status particularly if the patient is asymptomatic or symptoms mimic another chronic problem. I told them i had tested negative 3x and was still refused. I have given blood for 40 years-thru times of caring for TB+ patients, HIV/Aids patients, and "Mad cow" disease patients and i have never been refused.

Today, Friday May 8th 2020, I, Madison Wagoner, went to try and donate blood at a local Red Cross blood drive at a church near my home. When I first went in they took my temperature, which I expected because of COVID-19, and I went to wait in the waiting area. Once it was my turn to be questioned by the nurses I waited in the chair. One nurse came over and took my pulse (she tested it with her fingers on my wrist). She said my pulse seemed rather fast, to which I explained I had been doing heavy lifting before I came in. She decided to wait a few minutes to see if I calmed down which would likely would help. After a few minutes a different nurse came over and said she would finish my questioning. She then said she was going to take my temperature (even though I had it taken when I came in) the nurse then proceeded to put the thermometer I my mouth, but she had forgotten to put the cover over the part that goes in my mouth (I panicked a little when I noticed), she kind of brushed it off and quickly wiped it off with what looked like a Clorox wipe. Then she proceeded to put the cover on it and take my temperature once more. She then said (and showed me) my temperature was 100.2. I found this odd as they said it was fine when I first entered the facility. The nurse even put her wrist on my head to feel my head and said "I felt hot". She then gave me a paper saying if my temp. went down I could come back and donate some other time. I left in tears and a bit of panic as she stuck an uncovered thermometer IN MY MOUTH. I am making this complaint as I have not been anywhere other than my house in weeks, and if I get COVID-19 from this mistake I will be devistated, and furious because I was simply trying to do a good deed and help out in this time of need. This happened in McDowell County, WV, in Welch. (Specifically - Emergency Blood Drive at Trinity Temple Church beside Sterling Drive Inn)

I contacted the Montgomery, AL American Red Cross to secure CPR and First Aid Training for 3 staff to become certified trainers. The 7 page agreement and Appendix are extremely misleading about the actual cost of the training, requiring that you refer to 3 sections of the agreement to come to an understanding regarding the true cost of the training. I still do nor fully understand whether my cost to train 3 staff is $1, 000 or $2, 500 because the agreement is so poorly constructed (I truly feel that this is not by accident).

I am the Executive Director of a sizable 501 c3 organization that serves Developmentally Disabled individuals and we are required to have all direct care staff certified in both CPR and Emergency First Aid. Two of my American Red Cross trained staff demanded additional payment to them beyond the costs to certify individual staff and basically took a position of "take it or leave it". One of these staff suggested that their position was encouraged and supported by the Red Cross, claiming that their training contacts are independent contractors. This prompted my agency to seek the training for 3 additional staff to become certified trainers.

When the Red Cross Train the Trainer arrived, Wednesday, March 25, 2020, the trainer requested the on-line certification forms that staff were required to complete prior to the in-person training. These were provided. It was at this time that the trainer said that to teach the CPR/Emergency First Aid Course, the 3 staff designated to become trainers must first have completed their certified AED course. This was never pre-disclosed and was not mentioned as a pre-requisite in the training agreement I signed with the Red Cross. The trainer then went on to claim: "All is not lost, I can do the training, but there will be an additional fee, of course." As Executive Director of this 501 3c, I protested this treatment and lack of clarity in this arrangement. Rather than providing the training I contracted for, the trainer left after I made it clear that I would not pay any additional fee beyond what was in my written agreement.

Our organization does not use AED's and we do not have any AED's on any of our sites. If the AED training is a prerequisite, it clearly should have been disclosed and not revealed at the moment the training was to start.

As a result of this deceptive and fraudulent practice, I have filed an official consumer fraud complaint with the State Attorney's Office (Alabama) and I am seeking an Attorney to investigate this as a potential Consumer Fraud Claim/Suit.

We absolutely need this training and the fraudulent predatory practice of our local Red Cross and affiliate trainers places us in a precarious position which, in turn, makes our ability to maintain our program certification much more difficult.

Went to blood drive as a walk in on 02320 at Harmony Grove Rd in Lilburn GA. I signed in and took a seat next to the only other person waiting. She turned to me and said, "They act like they don't want to take blood, I've been waiting over 15 minutes" . There was only 1 person actually giving blood, and one being questioned, 3 employee were standing together laughing at a table.
Well the lady was finally called, and then I was the only other person waiting. After 10 minutes, (she had cleared the questioned area and was giving blood) I went to the laughing group and asked how long. Miguel told me to take a seat and wait. I did and he shorty called me over. He asked for my drivers license but never looked at it, or explained why he asked for it, instead he asked questions that were on the license, he acted quite put out. Priscilla who took my blood was the total opposite, she smiled and was very nice.
Long story short. Miguel made me feel like I was imposing on him, that I was annoying. I volunteered my tine, my blood, and my inconvenience, he was being paid. If you give blood for free, all your employees should not be hostile

W2003-[protected]
My donation experience on Saturday November 2nd, 2019 has made me never want to donate blood ever again. There's a pop up by my house that I go to every time they have an event. I've never had an issue and it's always been fast and easy, until today. The phlebotomists stuck the needle in my arm, then apparently my blood stopped flowing, he adjusted the needle and still no blood, tried one more time. No blood. A second person came over to give it a go, still nothing. A third person came over and adjusted the needle, put a buffer under my arm to prop it up, still no blood. A felt something strange and looked over at my arm and it's covered in blood, a fourth person had to come over and start wiping up the blood. She cleaned my arm, wrapped it up, apologized and sent me on my way... I got zero explanation why this happened or what was going on. So I'm left not wanting to ever donate again and a vivid image on my blood covering my arm.

My boyfriend was donating blood this today at our school's blood drive, he had never donated before or had to have is blood drawn prior to this, so it was all new to him. In the papers he signed prior to the procedure, it said if it hurt too much or if the donator felt uncomfortable they can stop. He told them multiple times it hurt and he didn't feel well, however the lady treating him said "You have to keep squeezing (the glove to help his blood come out) I'm not going to stop until you're finished" and walked away. I found this to violate the papers my boyfriend had signed. My boyfriend had been generous enough to donate blood and they wouldn't let him stop.

I have been donating blood for 16 years and have never had a donation be so painful that I jump out of the chair. On 10/14/2019 the man that put the needle in my arm jammed it in my arm so hard that he nearly hit my bone and had to pull it back to find a vein. They even had to readjust it later due to it not being administered correctly. Once my donation was done they yanked it out so hard that the needle scratched my arm. Ever since that day I have not been able to straighten my arm and I have tingling sensations running down my arm any time I move it. I have the universal donor blood and will no longer be donating blood again due to this incident. Please train all your employees how to properly perform this service.

The local news channels will be getting this story from my wife and I as well as the fb group created to monitor these typs of incedenss at the civilians level epically since getting any info from the redcross is like cutting steel with silly string u can try but probably not going to happen all in all I hope someone takes this seorious because we do!