The World Health Organization has identified uncontrolled bleeding to be the leading cause of preventable traumatic death. As a school nurse, you play a pivotal role in not only treating uncontrolled bleeding but helping ensure that staff and students are also informed on proper procedures.

Golden Hour
First, it’s important to know about the golden hour, the critical one-hour period for saving a life and a limb. It starts immediately after the injury and is especially vital in the case of gunshot wounds. During the golden hour, it’s imperative to take quick action to control the bleeding and get the injured individual to the emergency room for further treatment.

Bleed Control Tools & Techniques
The most common way to control bleeding is with a tourniquet. A tourniquet is a device that stops the flow of blood through a vein or artery by compressing a limb with a tight bandage.

In some cases, a tourniquet cannot be used, such as injuries that are in the shoulder or chest. Alternatively, wound-packing can help prevent bleeding. This technique is exactly what it sounds like – you simply stuff the wound with gauze and apply pressure to keep the bleeding under control.

At MacGill, we understand the severity of uncontrolled bleeding and we want to ensure that you have the products and information you need to handle an emergency. We recommend visiting www.bleedcontrol.org for educational information on saving lives before paramedics arrive and we’d like to let you know that we carry all of the suggested kits listed on their website in our store.

Click here to shop our selection of bleed control products. If there is a product you need that we don’t currently carry, please contact us. We’d be happy to help.