Skill Section:Wilderness

First Aid

Skill 4/17:Major Bleeding

Learning Intention:

• To practise how to recognise and treat major bleeding

Success Criteria:By the end of this session everyone should be able to:• recognise and safely treat a major

bleed;• understand and minimise the risk of

cross-infection to both the casualty and the first aider.

Activities:1. Presentation/Discussion: Major Bleeding (10)2. Demonstration (5)3. Practical (20)4. Review Success Criteria (5)

What is major bleeding?• Blood running freely or spurting e.g. from a

deep wound or artery• Internal bleeding• Immediate danger: blood loss• Secondary risk: infection• Other symptoms: increased heart/breathing

rate; clamminess, shock, fainting

Treatment • Put on disposable gloves (if available)

•Sit (or lie) casualty down•Examine•ELEVATE & APPLY PRESSURE

Treatment • Cover with large sterile pad(s) + bandage(s)• If not enough dressings, or if dressings bleed

through, improvise (anything absorbent will do e.g. towel, fleece)

• This is a MEDICAL EMERGENCY: contact supervisor/999

Complications• If there is a foreign object in the wound that

you cannot remove without pulling, leave it alone & apply a ring bandage if possible.

• Puncture and gunshot wounds may have both an entry & an exit wound

• Outdoor clothing is often waterproof & may conceal pooling blood.

Video Clips:

How to Stop Bleeding (2.39)

First Aid: Major Bleeding (7.37)

Questions?

Next Session:Skill 5/17:

Practical Scenarios

Practical:Group A:1 Casualty3 ObserversGroup B:First Aiders

Checklist for Observers:• Did they ASSESS the situation?• Did they approach the casualty safely?• Conscious Casualty: Did they ask

relevant questions?• Unconscious Casualty: Did they check

BREATHING/CIRCULATION• Did they COMMUNICATE

appropriately?• Did they TAKE appropriate ACTION e.g.

treat the casualty effectively (SEEP!)