When Someone is Bleeding: Would You Know What to Do?

I was sitting outside a coffee house today, drinking my coffee and working on some blog posts, when a guy on a bike wiped out right next to me.

Thankfully, he bounced right back up and seemed okay—but he was bleeding pretty good.

There were other people around, everyone made sure he was okay, and within about thirty seconds my CPR and First Aid instructor brain kicked in:

Well, there's my next blog post.

Because bleeding is one of those first aid situations most of us will encounter at some point. A bike accident, a kitchen knife, a fall, a kid wiping out on the playground, a power tool mishap—it doesn't take much for an ordinary day to suddenly involve a decent amount of blood.

So, while today's cyclist continued on with his day, let's talk about what to do when someone is bleeding.

First: Not All Bleeding Is an Emergency

Seeing blood can make an injury look much scarier than it actually is.

Cuts and scrapes can bleed quite a bit and still be relatively minor. Most minor bleeding can be controlled with direct pressure, followed by cleaning and covering the wound appropriately.

But you need to be able to recognize when you're dealing with something more serious.

Bleeding that is rapid or continuous, pooling, soaking through dressings, or not stopping with firm direct pressure needs your attention.

And don't just watch the wound.

Watch the person.

When in Doubt, Start With Pressure

For significant external bleeding, one of the most important things you can do is remarkably simple:

Apply firm, direct pressure.

Use gauze if it's available. If it isn't, use the cleanest suitable material you have.

Then keep the pressure on.

One of the mistakes people make is pressing for a few seconds and then lifting everything up to see what's happening.

Give clotting a chance to work.

Press. Hold. Don't keep peeking.

If blood comes through the material, maintain pressure and add additional material as needed rather than repeatedly removing everything and starting over.

Your bandage doesn't need to be pretty.

You need to control the bleeding.

Know What Life-Threatening Bleeding Looks Like

This is where basic first aid training becomes particularly important.

Call 911 for life-threatening bleeding and begin care immediately.

You should be concerned about a large amount of blood loss, bleeding that is flowing rapidly or continuously, or bleeding that you can't control with firm direct pressure.

Also look for changes in the person.

Significant blood loss can lead to shock. Someone may become pale, cool or clammy. They may feel weak, dizzy or confused. Their breathing may become rapid.

Don't wait for someone to pass out before deciding the situation is serious.

What About a Tourniquet?

Tourniquets save lives when used appropriately for life-threatening bleeding from an arm or leg.

But owning one and knowing how to use one are two very different things.

If you carry a tourniquet in your first aid kit, learn how to use it before there's an emergency.

Follow your training and the manufacturer's instructions. Once applied for life-threatening bleeding, a tourniquet should not be loosened or removed by a lay responder while waiting for EMS.

This is one of those first aid skills that is much better learned hands-on than from a paragraph on the internet.

Protect Yourself, Too

If disposable gloves are available, put them on before providing care.

Blood can carry disease, so minimizing direct contact matters.

Gloves are inexpensive, weigh almost nothing and belong in every decent first aid kit.

After providing care, wash your hands thoroughly.

Don't Forget About Shock

If someone has lost a significant amount of blood, controlling the wound isn't your only concern.

Keep watching the person.

Keep them from getting too cold, reassure them and monitor their condition while waiting for EMS.

If they become unresponsive and aren't breathing normally, you're now dealing with a CPR emergency.

Sometimes the Bleeding Stops but the Injury Still Needs Care

Getting the bleeding under control doesn't necessarily mean you're finished.

Deep or gaping wounds, heavily contaminated wounds, animal or human bites, embedded objects, loss of sensation or movement, or wounds that repeatedly begin bleeding again may need professional medical care.

Tetanus protection may also need to be considered depending on the wound and the person's vaccination history.

This Is Why I Teach First Aid

The cyclist outside the coffee house today was fine.

He got back up.

People checked on him.

Life continued.

But seeing the blood was a good reminder that first aid isn't something reserved for huge, dramatic emergencies.

Most of the time, it's ordinary people getting hurt on completely ordinary days.

And sometimes it's happening three feet away while you're drinking coffee and working on your laptop.

You don't have to be a medical professional to be useful when someone gets hurt.

Know how to control bleeding.

Know how to recognize when bleeding is serious.

Know when to call 911.

And if you're going to carry things like a tourniquet, know how to use them before the day you actually need them.

Because you never know when someone is going to wipe out right next to you.

And if you're a First Aid instructor when it happens?

Apparently you get your next blog topic handed to you with your coffee.