Severe bleeding
Press hard on the wound and keep pressing. Starter text to review by a health worker.
What to do
- Press firmly on the wound with whatever clean cloth you have (or your hand) to slow the bleeding.
- Call 999 or 112, or ask someone else to call.
- Keep pressing until help arrives. If blood soaks through, put another pad on top and keep pressing.
- If something is stuck in the wound, leave it there and press around it, not on it.
- Help the person lie down and keep them warm.
Call 999 or 112 now if
- The bleeding is heavy or does not stop with firm pressure.
- The person feels faint, cold, clammy or confused.
Do not
- Do not pull out an object stuck in a wound.
- Do not wash a wound that is bleeding heavily.
Sources
- British Red Cross: learn first aid: Bleeding heavily
- NHS (UK National Health Service): Cuts and grazes
Written in our own words from these sources. Learn first aid properly with the Kenya Red Cross.