EMS Protocol of the Week - Bleeding / Hemorrhage Control (Adult and Pediatric)

It’s important to keep in mind that all the approaches for hemorrhage control described in this week’s protocol should be considered adjuncts to our first line defense against rapid exsanguination: direct pressure. Applying a tourniquet proximally? Keep pressure on that distal bleed. Packing a junctional wound? Maintain constant pressure on top. Placing a pressure dressing? Put some pressure on that pressure! Even the fancy hemostatic dressings (QuikClot, etc) can only help so much without some direct pressure to zhuzh it up.

You guys I’m actually pretty proud of keeping up with the puns at the end of these emails. Even for gross ones like uncontrolled bleeding. But, like…I don’t wanna gush.

www.nycremsco.org or the protocol binder for more.

 Dave