Blood Drive = Failure

What a frustrating afternoon!

So today was the day of my blood drive. I took off of work so that I could be available for anything during the drive, plus I was planning to donate as well. We got a crazy spring snow storm last night, but it wasn't a big deal. We had about 3 inches, but it is all the way melted already. The blood mobile got there at 10:15 and I was there shortly after to greet them. They didn't know I was the coordinator and did not even receive any information on the schedule of the donors or anything. Which I thought was strange, because all the other drives I've coordinated they already have a list of information and I just go in and verify that we have the same list. Anyway, I gave them everything they needed and since this was the first drive where I wouldn't be actually on site for the entire time I also gave them my cell phone number and told them to call me if there was any problems or anything at all. I expressed that I had taken the day off for this drive, wanted it to be a success and would be back at 2:30 for my appointment to donate.

By the time I left there were already 2 people in there donating. I thought for sure everything would go smoothly. I had actually had a hard time signing people up to donate, but because the UBS is on a budget restrain they won't drive out to a site unless there is an 80% fill of appointments. UBS had called around Grants on Weds and booked my entire drive. This should have been a successful day.

I left and went home to eat a hearty lunch and drink TONS of water, to make my donation as pleasant as possible. It was 2:15 and I was heading out the door to stop in early for my appointment and see how things went, when I get a phone call. It is the UBS lady in Albuquerque. She tells me that they haven't had anyone in over an hour at the blood mobile and they were leaving. Ugh... I was soo pissed off.

There were still 7 appointments that afternoon and half of them were government appointments and one was mine. They didn't bother to call me and tell me this, even though I asked and they knew I was coming back for my very own appointment!!! Anger. The Alb lady said there was nothing I could do and told me not to bother even going to my appointment. I had to call the other people that had signed up for appointments to let them know that the bus left. Isn't that stupid!

I was very upset... I am not sure I will ever be a coordinator again. If they had only called me to let me know that they hadn't had anyone, I could have called the people signed up and ask them if they could go in earlier. Or heck I could have even gone in earlier! Ugh. I was very frustrated and they left with only 7 units of blood... my goal was 12. What a disappointment. I even contemplated going to work this afternoon. lol