Medical emergencies can happen anywhere at any moment. The interval between an emergency and the arrival of medical assistance is crucial. The most important thing is maintaining your composure and administering first aid until help arrives. In common crises, you must know about a few Dos and Don’ts.
Traumatic injuries in the United States cause even more fatalities than cancer, HIV, or the flu, and blood loss can result in a person’s death in just a few minutes. It teaches high school students how to deploy a tourniquet, apply pressure, and communicate with 9-1-1 dispatchers and other rescuers in order to battle these numbers. It will also teach them how to stay safe if they encounter a life-threatening injury.
Here are some crucial steps anyone on the spot needs to take to save a person’s life.
First-aid Steps for Severe Bleeding
When people lose too much blood, they enter a state known as shock. However, if anyone loses too much blood, the body’s cells and tissues will be deprived of oxygen due to a lack of blood—a medical condition known as shock. Here are a few things you need to do –
- If the wound is deep or unsure of its severity, call 911 or your local emergency number. Move the injured individual only if it is necessary to prevent further harm.
- Put on disposable gloves and any other personal protective equipment before looking for the wound’s origin.
- Clear any debris or clothing on the wound and then look for the bleeding’s origin. There might be several wounds. Don’t attempt to clean the wound; remove any clear debris. Don't explore the wound or remove big or deeply attached objects.
- The bleeding needs to stop. Use sterile gauze or a clean piece of cloth to cover the wound. Until the bleeding stops, apply pressure to it firmly with the palm of your hand. However, don’t squeeze an embedded item or an eye injury. Don’t press on a head wound if you think there may be a fractured skull.
- Apply a thick bandage or clean cloth and tape to the wound and attempt to raise the wound above the level of the heart.
- Assist the injured person in keeping lying down. If possible, lay them down on a rug or blanket to stop the person from losing body heat. Elevate their feet if you notice shock symptoms, such as weakness, clammy skin, or a rapid heartbeat. You need to reassure the victim firmly but calmly.
- As needed, add more bandages. Add extra gauze or fabric to the existing bandage if blood leaks through it. Then continue to apply pressure firmly to the region.
- Tourniquets: A tourniquet can stop potentially fatal bleeding coming from a limb. If a commercial tourniquet is available and you are trained to use it, use it if necessary. Never use a belt or scarf as a makeshift tourniquet. Tell the emergency personnel how long the tourniquet has been in place when they arrive.
- Keep the victim still. As you wait for emergency assistance, try to prevent the injured individual from moving.
- Get the injured person to a hospital emergency room as soon as possible if you haven't already called for immediate assistance.
- Sanitize your hands. Even if it doesn’t appear that any blood is on your hands when helping the injured individual, wash your hands afterward.
Any injured person bleeding severely needs immediate help, and it’s best if you’re certified in First-aid. That will give you the confidence to handle such complex situations. You can now get certified online from MyCPR NOW.
