Final answer:
Health care professionals must follow Standard Precautions including hand hygiene and using protective gloves when treating a laceration. If bleeding persists after initial treatment, elevating the limb and applying additional dressings are critical steps, with consideration for a tourniquet if necessary.
Step-by-step explanation:
In Chapter 8 Emergency Procedures and First Aid, when a wheelchair-bound woman, Christa Winter, experiences a serious laceration to the right arm, there are specific steps and precautions that must be followed by health care professionals like Bob White, CMA (AAMA), and Dr. David to administer emergency care. The Standard Precautions they must adhere to include hand hygiene, using protective gloves and applying principles of aseptic technique to prevent infection.
When the bleeding does not stop after applying a dressing and pressing firmly two additional actions that the health care professionals should take include elevating the limb above heart level to reduce blood flow to the area and applying additional dressings to maintain pressure on the wound. If bleeding is profuse and these measures are inadequate a tourniquet may be required until further medical assistance is available.