Catastrophic Bleeding
Catastrophic Bleeding
(10 True/False questions with explanations).
If any artery is severed, apply a tourniquet straight away.
TRUEFALSE
FALSE: Sit/lie the patient down and apply direct pressure.
Haemostatic dressings can be inserted into any gaping injury.
TRUEFALSE
FALSE: DO NOT insert haemostatic dressings into
- Open skull wounds. It will damage the brain.
- Open chest wounds. It will damage the lungs.
Discard the Haemostatic Dressing wrapper into a bin or rubbish bag.
TRUEFALSE
FALSE: The wrapper should stay with the patient. One way to do this is to tuck the wrapper it into the trauma dressing bandage.
To stop an arterial bleed, insert haemostatic dressing into the gaping wound and wait for the bleeding to stop.
TRUEFALSE
FALSE: After inserting the haemostatic dressing you must still apply direct pressure. The time varies depending on the make/model of the dressing, so read the instructions. Apply a trauma dressing over the top.
Trauma dressings have an expiry date.
TRUEFALSE
TRUE: All medical dressings have an expiry date. Check that those in your first aid kit are still in date. Haemostatic dressings have a particularly short shelf-life.
For catastrophic bleeding, time is of the essence. Do not waste time cutting away clothing, just apply the dressings and tourniquets over clothing.
TRUEFALSE
FALSE: Trauma dressings and tourniquets need to be applied directly onto skin. Work as a team, with someone applying direct pressure by hand, as clothing is cut away. If direct pressure is working, then after 10 minutes you can complete the application of the bandage. Otherwise look to use haemostatic guaze and/or tourniquet and update the ambulance service.
There are no drawbacks to using a tourniquet.
TRUEFALSE
FALSE: A tourniquet will cause intense pain. The tourniquet can also cause nerve damage. If the tourniquet has to be kept on for too long, the limb will need to be amputated. The tourniquet can save someone’s life but always try to stop the bleeding first by using direct pressure.
A tourniquet can be released if the pain becomes unbearable.
TRUEFALSE
FALSE: The tourniquet must not be slackened until the patient gets to hospital.
It is important to reassess the patient after treatment.
TRUEFALSE
TRUE: Check that the bleeding has stopped. If not, use a haemostatic dressing or a tourniquet to stop the bleeding. A second tourniquet can be used if the first tourniquet has not stopped the bleeding. Update ambulance control that you cannot control the bleeding. Check that the patient is still breathing.
If you are the only helper, the priority is to stop the severe bleeding and then call 999.
TRUEFALSE
TRUE: A patient can die quickly from catastrophic bleeding. Make sure that you have quick easy access to a major trauma/catastrophic bleeding kit.
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