We’ve all seen the films portraying daring rescues after a victim is bleeding intensely from a building collapse or a gunshot. We’ve watched action heroes and heroines manage to create a homemade tourniquet out of nearby materials just in the nick of time. These films give viewers the idea that we are unlikely to be involved in such dramatic scenarios. Saving someone from blood loss sure looks like stuff superheroes do.
The truth is that life-threatening blood loss can occur to anyone at any time. A spade or shovel accident, a home repair mishap and — easiest to imagine — a car accident could put us, someone we know or a stranger in danger of death within minutes, and we may be the only superheroes around.
Seem unlikely? Not according to the American College of Surgeons (ACS) STOP THE BLEED program, which states that blood loss is the leading cause of avoidable death after an injury. If we want to feel confident in an emergency instead of terrified, we should learn the simple steps to keep blood from escaping a victim. The good news is that the process is so simple that it’s taught to those of all ages, not just adults.
The first step is one you already know: Call 9-1-1. Think about your own safety before you begin to assist. If you have gloves, use them. If you don’t, be careful around the blood and let emergency medical workers know if any spills on you once they arrive.
If the blood from the victim’s wound is pooling, flowing uncontrollably, or just seems high in volume, you will know the situation is urgent. Put pressure on the wound so that you can prevent more blood from escaping the injured person. There are three different methods you can use to do so, depending on the situation, wound area and materials available:
• Cover the wound with a clean bandage or cloth, then put pressure on it. Do not ease up on the pressure, even if the victim asks you to do so, until the emergency medical workers arrive and are able to take over for you.
• Pack the wound with clean gauze or cloth before putting the pressure on it. This step is a better alternative if the wound is especially deep and/or if the wound is to the groin, neck or shoulder; in those areas, it’s not practical to apply that tourniquet you’ve seen in so many action movies and television shows.
• The tourniquet is an excellent option if the wound is to the leg or arm. Just put the tourniquet above the wound and then twist until the bleeding stops. Do not apply the tourniquet on top of the joints (elbow, knee, etc.).
Training is available to walk you through all of these steps so that you feel comfortable when you need to act. Representatives from the Smith Level I Shock Trauma Center at Eskenazi Health teach the training, so you can be assured you’re learning from medical professionals. You can call 317-880-5045 to find out where and when you can attend.
Materials online can also assist you as well. You will find numerous resources on the American College of Surgeons (ACS) STOP THE BLEED site, www.stopthebleed.org. You can find an online version of the training if you can’t make an in-person training as well as posters and flowcharts explaining the process in detail with helpful images. Share the materials and information you learn with friends and loved ones as well.
Don’t get caught scrambling if someone you know — or someone you don’t — is in trouble due to blood loss. Get the training you need so that you can be confident acting as a true superhero.
Nydia Nunez-Estrada, M.D., family medicine specialist with Eskenazi Health Center Grande