• Saik0@lemmy.saik0.com
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    2 months ago

    I still vaguely remember how to apply a tourniquet lol

    Do blood sweep on individual. On the affect limb place tourniquet high and tight into the groin/armpit as possible. Velcro firmly. Twist stick until you think the stick will break (ignore screams of person you’re applying it to). Write the time on the tourniquet so the medics know what to do about it later.

    • SSTF@lemmy.world
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      2 months ago

      I think when it first released in 2002 they would have taught two inches above the wound. High and tight for all purposes came later as the default trained procedure.

      • Maalus@lemmy.world
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        2 months ago

        It’s slightly above the wound (2 inch) not highest up. Also never on a joint. One tourniquet might not stop the bleed, then you need to place another one higher than the previous one.

        • Saik0@lemmy.saik0.com
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          2 months ago

          It’s slightly above the wound (2 inch) not highest up.

          It used to be that… it was revised a few years later. The idea being that you don’t know if that limb has other trauma as well, internal bleeding and such… No point in only stopping the visible bleed if you missed another one that was higher on the limb. In combat, expending the energy to identify the little details isn’t worth it when the real answer is to get the person back to medics and you need to focus on your job of shooting the enemy.

          Of course this all depends on how your unit is structured anyway. I got much different training in the pathfinder unit I was in, who are a forward unit that may not have ANY medical personnel available. Our unit had embedded medics who taught us what they specifically expect from us since we would have limited resources when air-dropped in… Much different SOP. But the above is what I remember the last basic tourniquet training to be.

      • Saik0@lemmy.saik0.com
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        2 months ago

        I remember from my own time in recruit training they taught us to kneel on the affected artery while we were applying the tourniquet

        This was in the original training! A step in the original classes that kind of vanished in the later trainings (from my memory at least). I think most people missed the artery when they slammed their knees into people anyway. I dunno, I didn’t ask so I don’t recall why that step kind of vanished. Probably no longer trained because it got in the way of people getting it high enough as well. I bet it would still help if performed correctly though.