External Bleeding

What is it?
Bleeding due to breaking of the skin from cuts, scrapes, etc.
With all bleeding injuries, first identify:
The amount of bleeding
The location of bleeding
If the flow of blood is continuous, steady, and heavy, consider the wound to be life-threatening.
Plan of Action:
For non-life-threatening bleeding:
Apply dressings over the bleeding area, and put direct pressure on the dressings using the heel of your hand
Direct pressure should be firm, steady, and constant
Do not remove pressure from the wound to add more dressings
Do not remove a dressing once it's placed because it could cause the wound to bleed more
Do not remove pressure until help arrives or the bleeding stops
If the bleeding is not stopping, press harder
Once the bleeding stops or you cannot keep pressure on the wound, wrap a bandage firmly over the dressings to hold them in place
A person who is bleeding should be seen by a healthcare provider ASAP because they may need stitches or a tetanus shot
When to Seek Emergency Care:
There is a lot of bleeding
You cannot stop the bleeding
You see signs of shock
You suspect a head, neck, or spine injury
You are not sure what to do