You are preparing to care for a patient with an open fracture to an extremity. The wound is oozing blood. Which action should you do first?

You are preparing to care for a patient with an open fracture to an extremity. The wound is oozing blood. Which action should you do first?

• A. Follow standard precautions
• B. Apply direct pressure to stop bleeding
• C. Immobilize with a splint
• D. Check for foreign objects in the wound

Answer: (A)

The first priority is protecting yourself by applying standard precautions. Before touching a bleeding wound, put on gloves (and other appropriate PPE) to reduce your risk of exposure to bloodborne pathogens. This safety step must come before any direct treatment, even though stopping bleeding is important. Once you’re protected, you can proceed to control the bleeding, such as applying direct pressure to the wound, and then immobilize the limb if needed. Checking or probing the wound for objects should come after PPE and after you’ve begun bleeding control, and you should avoid removing any object that may be embedded.

The first priority is protecting yourself by applying standard precautions. Before touching a bleeding wound, put on gloves (and other appropriate PPE) to reduce your risk of exposure to bloodborne pathogens. This safety step must come before any direct treatment, even though stopping bleeding is important. Once you’re protected, you can proceed to control the bleeding, such as applying direct pressure to the wound, and then immobilize the limb if needed. Checking or probing the wound for objects should come after PPE and after you’ve begun bleeding control, and you should avoid removing any object that may be embedded.