St John Ambulance, the nation’s leading first aid charity, is bringing you some simple, but life saving, first aid tips – this week: bleeding.

To treat a minor bleed:
• Wash and dry your own hands
• Cover any cuts on your own hands and put on disposable gloves
• Clean the cut, if dirty, under running water and pat dry with a sterile dressing or clean, lint-free material.
• If possible, raise the affected area above the heart
• Cover the cut temporarily while you clean the surrounding skin with soap and water and pat dry
• Cover the cut completely with a sterile dressing or plaster

Dealing with severe wounds may be daunting but it is essential to prevent further blood loss and minimise the shock:
• Wash and dry your own hands
• Cover any cuts on your own hands and put on disposable gloves
• Remove or cut clothing as necessary to expose the wound
• Apply direct pressure over the wound with a sterile dressing or clean, lint-free material
• If there is an object in the wound, apply pressure on either side of the object
• Maintain direct pressure on the wound and raise the injured limb above the level of the casualty’s heart to reduce blood loss
• Help the casualty to lie down to help prevent shock
• Bandage the pad or dressing firmly but not so tight as to restrict circulation
• If bleeding seeps through the dressing, apply a second bandage
• If bleeding continues to seep through, remove it and reapply, maintaining pressure on the wound
• Raise the casualty’s legs above the level of the heart to further prevent shock
• Call 999/112 for emergency help and record vital signs, level of response, breathing and pulse until help arrives.

For those looking for quick, easily accessible first aid information, the St John Ambulance app is available free on smartphones and the websitwww.sja.org.uk offers lots of free advice.

Artricle supplied by Kate Rutsch