First Aid Bleeding and Wound Care 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A worker has a large avulsion injury where skin is partially torn away. What should you do with the flap of skin?
- Cut it off cleanly to prevent infection
- Fold it back over the wound as close to normal position as possible (Correct answer)
- Leave it hanging and apply a dry dressing
- Soak it in saline before reattaching
Correct answer: Fold it back over the wound as close to normal position as possible
Avulsed skin flaps should be gently repositioned to protect underlying tissue; surgeons may be able to reattach the tissue.
Question 2: For internal bleeding after blunt abdominal trauma, which sign is most alarming?
- Mild bruising over the abdomen
- A rigid, board-like abdomen with increasing pain (Correct answer)
- Slight tenderness when pressed
- Skin that is warm and dry
Correct answer: A rigid, board-like abdomen with increasing pain
A rigid abdomen indicates significant internal bleeding or organ injury requiring immediate emergency care.
Question 3: When is it appropriate to use a commercial tourniquet versus improvised methods for severe limb bleeding?
- Improvised is always safer than commercial
- Commercial tourniquets are preferred when available; improvised used only if necessary (Correct answer)
- Both are equally effective in all situations
- Tourniquets should never be used outside a hospital
Correct answer: Commercial tourniquets are preferred when available; improvised used only if necessary
Commercial tourniquets are designed for consistent pressure and come with time-marking features; improvised versions are a last resort.
Question 4: You suspect a person has a nosebleed originating from deep within the nasal cavity (posterior). What should you do?
- Have them tilt their head back and apply ice to the forehead
- Have them sit forward, pinch the nose, and call 911 if it does not stop (Correct answer)
- Pack the nostril tightly with cloth and keep the head back
- Have them blow their nose forcefully to clear the blood
Correct answer: Have them sit forward, pinch the nose, and call 911 if it does not stop
Posterior nosebleeds are dangerous, don't respond to standard first aid, and require emergency medical treatment.
Question 5: Which hemostatic dressing ingredient is commonly used by military and civilian first responders to accelerate clotting in severe wounds?
- Hydrogen peroxide
- Kaolin or chitosan (Correct answer)
- Iodine solution
- Silver sulfadiazine
Correct answer: Kaolin or chitosan
Kaolin (in QuikClot) and chitosan (in HemCon) activate clotting factors to rapidly control life-threatening hemorrhage.
Question 6: A victim has a large wound with a foreign object (glass) still embedded. You should:
- Remove the object quickly to allow direct pressure
- Stabilize the object and apply pressure around it without removing it (Correct answer)
- Push the object deeper to stop bleeding
- Cover the wound completely including the object with direct pressure
Correct answer: Stabilize the object and apply pressure around it without removing it
Embedded objects should never be removed in the field as they may be tamponading blood vessels; stabilize and seek emergency care.
Question 7: Which of the following correctly describes the difference between a laceration and an incision?
- A laceration is clean-edged; an incision is jagged
- An incision is a clean cut; a laceration has irregular, torn edges (Correct answer)
- Both are the same type of wound
- A laceration only occurs internally; an incision is always external
Correct answer: An incision is a clean cut; a laceration has irregular, torn edges
Incisions are clean cuts (e.g., from a scalpel) while lacerations are tears with irregular edges that heal more slowly.
First Aid Bleeding and Wound Care 3
A worker has a large avulsion injury where skin is partially torn away.
What should you do with the flap of skin?