Bleeding and Wounds

The essentials

This topic presents the general first-aid principles for recognizing external bleeding, reducing it and protecting the wound. The main goal is to assess danger quickly, call for help and prevent deterioration until professional assistance arrives.

What to remember

For severe external bleeding, priorities are safety, calling emergency services and applying direct, continuous pressure to the wound with clean material or a bandage. Do not remove a deeply embedded foreign object and do not repeatedly uncover the dressing to ‘check’; add another layer on top if needed. If there is life-threatening bleeding from a limb and you are trained, use an appropriate bleeding-control method.

Listen to the explanation

Educational material; not a substitute for the current official rules.

Try questions on this topic

A small practice set from this subtopic. The full question bank and saved progress are available in your account.

In case of a nosebleed, when providing assistance to the victim, you should
  1. Tilt the victim's head backward.
  2. Lower the victim's head and press the upper part of the nose.
  3. Place a cotton tampon inside the victim's nose.
  4. Let the blood flow and stop on its own.

The correct answer: Lower the victim's head and press the upper part of the nose.

The correct action is: Lower the victim's head and press the upper part of the nose. In first aid, the order of actions matters and only the steps required for the stated condition should be performed. Remember the order of actions and avoid adding unnecessary steps from the distractors.

A pedestrian fell and injured their arm due to an accident. There is a large wound (about 5 cm long) on the forearm from which dark red blood is flowing. What should be done to stop the bleeding?
  1. Wash the wound with water.
  2. Elevate the victim's arm and apply a pressure bandage.
  3. Apply iodine alcohol solution on the wound.

The correct answer: Elevate the victim's arm and apply a pressure bandage.

The correct action is: Elevate the victim's arm and apply a pressure bandage. In first aid, the order of actions matters and only the steps required for the stated condition should be performed. Remember the order of actions and avoid adding unnecessary steps from the distractors.

You see a fallen person and notice a bone protruding from the ankle and bleeding. If the scene is safe, what should you do first?
  1. Call emergency medical services.
  2. Check consciousness and breathing.
  3. Immobilize the leg.

The correct answer: Check consciousness and breathing.

The correct action is: Check consciousness and breathing. In first aid, the order of actions matters and only the steps required for the stated condition should be performed. Remember the order of actions and avoid adding unnecessary steps from the distractors.

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