How to Control Bleeding
Do the following to control bleeding:
1. Put on a pair of gloves (not only to keep your hands from getting full of blood, but also to protect the other person from getting dirt and germs inside the wound).
2. Apply direct pressure to the wound using 4x4 gauze pads
3. Elevate the injury above the level of the heart (if possible)
4. Apply a pressure dressing (first place 4x4 gauze pads over the laceration and then use a roll of kling and secure the end with tape)
5. If bleeding will not stop, add a new dressing over the top of the current one (never take off the saturated bandage). Next, apply pressure to the nearest pressure point (the point that is above the wound).
6. Splint the injury if it's very painful and/or if it will take awhile to get to the emergency room. Splinting helps prevent the extremity from moving around too much which will decrease a little bit of the pain.
Gunshot Wounds
A person who has been shot usually has both an entry and exit wound from the bullet. If you do not find an exit wound, then the bullet is still inside the person. The entry wound will not be bleeding much because all the skin, etc. was pushed inside the body. The exit wound is where there will be a lot of bleeding. Apply direct pressure and use the pressure point above the injury to slow down the bleeding while waiting for an ambulance or transporting a person to the emergency room.
Scenarios
1. A
guy is walking through some thick brushes when he trips and falls quickly to
the ground. He has a large laceration (cut) on his lower leg from an old, rusty
piece of iron. What should you do?
2. A guy in the woods has a gunshot wound. How do you handle the situation and how would you treat his injury?
Answers:
1. Put on gloves, cover the wound with gauze, and apply direct pressure for 5+ minutes. Use kling to finish bandaging up the wound. If it's still bleeding, elevate the injury above the level of the heart, and apply pressure to the pressure point above the injury site. If the bandage bleeds through, then add a new bandage without removing the original bandaging. Get medical attention if the cut is deep and needs stitches.
2. Bandage up both the entry and exit wounds. Apply direct pressure to the exit wound since it will most likely be bleeding much worse than the entry wound. Put pressure on pressure points and get the person to an emergency room quickly.
2. A guy in the woods has a gunshot wound. How do you handle the situation and how would you treat his injury?
Answers:
1. Put on gloves, cover the wound with gauze, and apply direct pressure for 5+ minutes. Use kling to finish bandaging up the wound. If it's still bleeding, elevate the injury above the level of the heart, and apply pressure to the pressure point above the injury site. If the bandage bleeds through, then add a new bandage without removing the original bandaging. Get medical attention if the cut is deep and needs stitches.
2. Bandage up both the entry and exit wounds. Apply direct pressure to the exit wound since it will most likely be bleeding much worse than the entry wound. Put pressure on pressure points and get the person to an emergency room quickly.