The Vital Role of Blood Donations in Level I Trauma Centers

Beyond surgeries and medical equipment, the lifeline in trauma care is donated blood.

A Level I Trauma Center is a hospital that is fully staffed and equipped to handle life-or-death emergencies 24/7. Think car crashes, shattered bones, and gaping wounds. When seconds count, so does every pint of blood.

When someone is badly hurt, severe bleeding is often what puts their life at risk.

In the first day after a traumatic injury, about half of the patients who died lost too much blood or had trouble clotting.

In surgery, more than 8 out of 10 patients who died bled too much.

Blood donation saves lives. Read on to find out how much blood it really takes to keep a trauma center running and why donations matter.

Why Level I Trauma Centers Need So Much Blood

Traumatic injuries often cause severe bleeding. A single patient may need dozens and sometimes over a hundred units (pints) of blood.

A patient who was in a major car accident can require up to 50 units of red blood cells.

A person with a gunshot wound needs about 10 times more blood than other patients in the trauma center and is five times more likely to require a transfusion.

Approximately 3% of patients with traumatic injuries need what’s called a massive transfusion (10 or more units of red blood cells in 24 hours). But those few use 70% of the center’s blood supply.

“We give a lot of blood to our car accident patients and our gunshot wound patients,” said Nicole Hodge, BSN, R.N., CEN, TCRN, Manager of the Trauma Emergency Department at OU Health. “The ability to quickly administer blood can mean the difference between life and death for these patients.”

To respond immediately, OU Health keeps a dedicated blood fridge in the trauma bay, known as a haemobank.

“We keep 10 units of packed red blood and 10 units of fresh frozen plasma in the trauma bay, which we can pull straight out of the fridge if we need them immediately,” said Hodge. “We have treated patients who received over 100 units of blood throughout their stay.”

The supply needs constant replenishment, and regular donations are essential. Red blood cells last about 40 days. Whole blood lasts around 21 days.

“This is the amount of time they can be stored,” said Hodge. “We often use all the blood we have, so very little expires on the shelf and goes to waste. You never know when your family member or your friend could be the one in need.”

The Power of Whole Blood

OU Health also has a supply of whole blood on hand for the most critically injured or at-risk patients. Why is whole blood so important?

Recent research at OU Health's Level I Trauma Center revealed a potentially life-saving advantage of whole blood transfusions for certain trauma patients. A study of over 1,000 trauma patients found that those with penetrating injuries (like gunshot wounds) who received whole blood had a significantly lower risk of in-hospital mortality compared to those who received component therapy.

Whole blood contains red blood cells, plasma, and platelets in their natural, balanced proportions, which potentially offers better outcomes because it's closer to blood's natural state. Additionally, regardless of injury type, patients who received whole blood required fewer transfusion events overall, reducing their exposure to multiple blood products.

This research also underscores why blood donation is so critical. The most severely injured trauma patients may benefit specifically from whole blood donations, which can be rapidly administered to restore the body's natural balance and stop life-threatening bleeding more effectively.

Blood Isn’t Just for Trauma

Donated blood doesn’t just help patients with traumatic injuries; it’s also critical in many other types of emergencies.

• Severe burns and shock: Plasma (what’s left after blood cells and platelets are removed) helps maintain blood pressure and supports clotting.
• Childbirth complications: Blood transfusions can be lifesaving when there’s severe blood loss during a delivery.
• Blood disorders: People with sickle cell disease and similar conditions often need regular transfusions to stay healthy.
• Complex surgeries: Organ transplants and other major procedures can require a lot of blood.

You Can Help Save a Life

Blood can not be artificially manufactured, so blood donations are the option. Donating blood is easy, and the Our Blood Institute (OBI) makes it accessible through regular community drives and mobile donation sites. While you can’t direct your donation to a specific hospital, OBI ensures hospitals like OU Health get what they need.

“Being able to donate blood is one of the huge ways that you can give back to the hospital who has helped your family member or friend,” said Hodge.

Donating takes just an hour. But your single act could be someone else’s second chance.

For more information about comprehensive trauma care, visit OU Health’s Level I Trauma Center. To donate blood, contact the OBI.