Hemorrhage Control

Safety Considerations

Field safety for hemorrhage control includes scene assessment before patient contact. Ensure BSI (body substance isolation) precautions are in place. PPE selection depends on the mechanism and suspected pathogens. Gloves are the minimum; add mask and eye protection for splash risk, N95 for airborne pathogens.

Never approach a scene involving hazardous materials, violence, or structural instability without proper resources and clearance from incident command.

Workplace Applications

In daily practice, hemorrhage control is applied consistently according to facility protocols and current evidence-based guidelines. Competency is maintained through annual skills validation, continuing education, and quality improvement participation.

Exam Focus Areas

On the Nremt Emt, Nremt Paramedic exam(s), questions about hemorrhage control typically test:

1. Correct medication selection, dosing, and route of administration
2. Recognition of signs and symptoms requiring immediate intervention
3. Appropriate transport decisions and hospital notification criteria

Assessment Techniques

Assessment techniques for hemorrhage control:

Glasgow Coma Scale

Components: Eye opening (1-4), Verbal response (1-5), Motor response (1-6). Scoring: 3-15, 8 or less = severe, 9-12 = moderate, 13-15 = mild

APGAR

Components: Appearance, Pulse, Grimace, Activity, Respiration. Scoring: 0-10 at 1 and 5 minutes, under 7 needs intervention

Cincinnati Stroke Scale

Components: Facial droop, Arm drift, Speech abnormality. Scoring: Any 1 positive = 72% probability of stroke

Patient Communication

Communication about hemorrhage control in the prehospital setting includes: explaining procedures to the patient in simple terms, obtaining informed consent when possible (implied consent for unresponsive patients), providing a calm and reassuring presence, and delivering a structured handoff report (SBAR: Situation, Background, Assessment, Recommendation) to the receiving facility.