Bleeding Information

I'm not sure if this is in the right place, but I may as well use it.
Okay:
My problem. I want to know what happens if someone is bleeding alot and a paramedic comes over. I want to know what they would say and do and I also want to know how they would treat you in a hospital.

I hope you understood that, probably you didn't. But still... I need the information for a story I'm doing at school. Sorry to bother you!

Depends on where the bleeding is coming from and how much. I am assuming the bleeding is profuse. If the wound is bleeding from a vein, they would probably apply direct pressure to the wound, start an i.v. in the arm, and start pumping in type O-negative blood. Once at the hospital, they would suture the wound and give blood as needed. If the cut is deep enough, they can suture the vein itself internally and close the skin with a separate set of stitches on the skin. If the wound is to an artery, they would probably tourniquet any appendage that was bleeding. For a neck or chest wound, they would clamp off the artery. They would i.v. type O-neg blood. At the hospital (assuming you lived that long), they would continue giving blood, and would repair the damaged artery and then close the skin. For an arterial bleed, you don't have a whole lot of time before bleeding out. For a vein, you can bleed for a relatively long time without dying.

As for what the paramedics would say, depends on who they are talking to. TO the patietn it would be, "Don't worry, you'll be fine." To eachother, they would probably give orders. "You, apply pressure." "Get me a hypo of lidocaine" (lidocaine numbs you up to give you i.v. They may ask for suction, or a pack of blood. Things like that.

I've never been treated by paramedics for bleeding, so this is mostly from med shows,first aid, and what I know of getting patched up in the er a couple times. I hope it helps.

Whoa, that helped alot. You are really a star. Thank you so much. *hugs*

Welcome

Also, if it was a head wound, any type of bleeding is considered to be unhealthy. I knew a woman who once tripped on the floor, thought nothing of it, but her head was bleeding. Fortunately, her employer forced her to go the doctor and she ended up having several stitches.

Also, in some cases, there are medical conditions where your blood is so thin that you end up bleeding profusely. Diabetes and cirrhosis come to mind straight off.

They ALWAYS tell you "your going to be okay" Even if you have a very slim chance of actually survivng.

That's because, psychologically, when you know you're going to be okay, you're more likely to heal.

Yea, but something tells me, if I have a huge gaping hole in a part of my body and am flooding the area with my own blood, common sense would dictate that I will not survive, no matter what they tell me.

Yes, but being told, 'You're screwed man!' isn't quite as comforting, even if it is your last seconds.

ATTN ALL: Please do not click on these links; we do not know if this is a hacker, but they're all over the site.

Thanks Ari - if you see any more, let one of the mods or Nate know, k?

Sureal wrote:Yes, but being told, 'You're screwed man!' isn't quite as comforting, even if it is your last seconds.

That would be the funniest thing in a hospital comedy.

Although it would sure suck in real life.

There's a little bit of good information here and a different perspective to how medics talk to patients. For more information, consider @StellaThomas's The Character Clinic . Reading through or asking a question should turn up good results.

Also an offer of 250 points to anyone who writes (and posts) a story in response to Griff's prompt.