Question

You are treating a young male with an arterial hemorrhage from a large laceration to his inner arm. Despite direct pressure with a sterile dressing, the wound continues to bleed heavily. You should ______.

1) Apply a tourniquet above the wound.
2) Apply a tourniquet below the wound.
3) Apply more direct pressure to the wound.
4) Administer a clotting agent intravenously.

Answer 1

In the given scenario, the most appropriate action to stop the bleeding from a severe arterial hemorrhage in the inner arm is to apply a tourniquet above the wound.

Step-by-step explanation:

In the given scenario, the wound is bleeding heavily despite direct pressure with a sterile dressing. This indicates a severe arterial hemorrhage that requires immediate intervention to stop the bleeding. The most appropriate action would be to apply a tourniquet above the wound. A tourniquet is a tight band or device used to compress the blood vessels and stop the blood flow to the area. By applying a tourniquet above the wound, the blood flow to the arm would be interrupted, preventing further bleeding.

However, if the body's mechanisms are overwhelmed, as in the case of severe arterial bleeding, manual interventions such as applying a tourniquet are necessary to prevent excessive blood loss.