g. Wrap the elastic bandage tightly over the pressure bar.
h. Continue to wrap the elastic bandage around the limb so that all edges of the
dressing pad are covered (figure 5-2 D). (This helps to prevent dirt and contaminated
material from getting under the dressing and into the wound.)
i. Secure the hooking end of the closing bar into the elastic bandage (figure
5-2 E). The bandage is now secure.
j. Check the blood circulation below (distal to) the bandage. The bandage
should be tight enough to secure the dressing pad in place and place some pressure on
the wound (the pressure helps to collapse the ends of severed blood vessels, thus
reducing bleeding). However, it should not be tight enough to stop all blood circulation
below the bandage.
(1)
If there is no pulse, loosen the bandage and reapply. Then recheck the
circulation.
(2) If the skin below the bandage becomes cool to the touch, bluish, or
numb, the bandage may be too tight and interfering with circulation. Loosen the
bandage and reapply. Then recheck the circulation.
(3) If loosening the bandage does not restore blood circulation to the part,
the casualty should be evacuated as soon as possible.
NOTE:
If the wound continues to bleed, you may need to remove the dressing,
reevaluate the wound, reposition the dressing, and secure the dressing again.
NOTE:
Although we are primarily concerned with using the emergency bandage to
control bleeding on a limb, the emergency bandage also has other uses.
Figure 5-3 shows the emergency bandage applied to some other injuries.
IS0877
5-7
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