Skills Unit: Wilderness First Aid

1. Skills Unit: Wilderness First Aid

2. Skills 5/17: Minor Bleeding

3. LearningIntention: • To practise how to recognise and treat a minor bleed such as a graze, small cut or nosebleed.

4. Success Criteria: • By the end of this session everyone should be able to: • recognise and safely treat a minor bleed; • understand and minimise the risk of cross-infection to both the casualty and the first aider.

5. Activities: • Presentation/Discussion: Minor Bleeding (10) • Demonstration (5) • Practical (20) • Review Success Criteria (5)

6. What is minor bleeding? • Blood oozing, not running freely e.g. from a graze or small/shallow cut. • Nosebleeds • Main danger is not from blood loss, but from infection • Shock can be a complication with some people (not just the casualty)

7. Treatment (Grazes, Cuts) • Put on disposable gloves (if available) • Clean the wound & pat dry • Cover with an adhesive dressing (plaster) or sterile pad + bandage • Shock can be a complication with some people (not just the casualty)

8. Treatment (Nosebleeds) • Sit casualty down, leaning forward • Get them to pinch soft part of their nose for 10 minutes • If bleeding has not stopped after 3 attempts, this is potentially a major bleed and you should seek medical attention

9. Complications • You should seek medical attention if: • The bleeding does not stop • There is a foreign object in the would that you cannot easily remove (e.g. with tweezers) • The wound is at particular risk of infection (e.g. from a bite or puncture) • If an existing wound shows signs of infection

10. Video Clips: Wipe and Dressings Sterile Dressings

11. Questions?

12. Next Session: Skills 6/17: Major Bleeding