Bleeding

A Wound is a crack or break in the skin that allows germs to enter and blood to escape.

Main types of wounds :

Contused - Bruise, bleeding under the skin.
Laceration - a jagged cut caused by barbed wire.
Incised - a straight cut caused by a knife.
Puncture - deep wound caused by a nail.
Graze - caused by a sliding fall.

 

Three categories of bleeding:

Arterial: most serious from arteries. Bright Red and spurting.
Venous: comes from the veins. Dark red and flowing.
Capillary: least serious from capillaries. Mixture of reds and oozing.

 

Treatment:

Apply direct pressure, Raise and support the injured limb, cover wound with a sterile dressing, treat for shock and send to hospital.

 

Pulse:

This is a throb of blood that passes along your arteries with each beat of your heart. It can be felt where an artery passes over a bone close to the skin E.g. radial pulse. The pulse rate of an adult is between 60 - 80. The average pulse rate is 72. The average amount of blood an adult has is 6 litres.

 

Circulation:

You can check circulation of a casualty by pressing their nail so it turns white. It should return back to red by the time you say capillary refill.

 

Crush Injuries:

If a casualty is trapped for more than 10 minutes you should leave them trapped as poisons have built up. If it is release it could cause kidney failure.

 

Signs & Symptoms of Blood Loss:

 

Face & Skin: pale cold and clammy.
Pulse: fast and weak (less blood so pulse is weak as harder to find. It is faster to make up for the blood loss)
Breathing: fast and shallow may gasp for air (Air Hunger)
Behaviour: May be restless, thirsty, faint, and dizzy.