You probably know to call 911 in an emergency.
But do you know what to do until paramedics arrive?
“If the laceration is deep enough you basically have 90 seconds before you’re going into severe shock and then death,” explained Medical Director of the Plainview Covenant Emergency Room Beau McCrory.
Knowing how to stop the bleed could save someone’s life.
“This is where learning how to apply a tourniquet in an efficient matter comes into play,” McCrory said.
“You’re going to put it above where the laceration or the gunshot wound is and you tighten the belt or tourniquet and you tighten it until the bleeding has stopped,” explained ER nurse Melissa Rodriguez.
You don’t need an actual tourniquet.
A belt or tie will also be enough to stop the bleed.
And remember the ABC’s to help stop the bleed.
A – alert 911
B – find the source of blood
C – compress
“It’s not important just for nurses or doctors to know, it’s important for everybody to know,” Rodriguez said.
And stopping the bleeding gives injured people a chance to get to the emergency room and get the help they really need.
“It takes a while for nurses to get to the scene and first police have to get there and make sure it’s safe,” explained Rodriguez. “But now a teacher can apply pressure to the wound or use a tourniquet and save a person’s life and save many people’s lives.”
Plainview Covenant will start having classes soon.
You can find information on when they are right here on their Facebook page.
