Tourniquet step 1: Where should the tourniquet be placed relative to the wound?

Tourniquet step 1: Where should the tourniquet be placed relative to the wound?

• A. 2-3 inches below the wound
• B. 2-3 inches above the wound; if close to a joint, place above the joint
• C. Directly over the wound
• D. Around the ankle

Answer: (B)

To control bleeding, the tourniquet must sit between the wound and the heart so it compresses the artery feeding the injured area. That’s why the best placement is 2 to 3 inches above the wound. If the wound is near a joint, put the tourniquet above the joint to ensure you’re occluding the artery before it branches near the joint, giving more reliable stopping power. Placing the tourniquet directly over the wound won’t reliably compress the underlying artery and can damage tissue or contaminate the wound. Placing it below the wound (distal) won’t stop the arterial blood from reaching the injury, and putting it around the ankle is too far from many wounds to be effective.

To control bleeding, the tourniquet must sit between the wound and the heart so it compresses the artery feeding the injured area. That’s why the best placement is 2 to 3 inches above the wound. If the wound is near a joint, put the tourniquet above the joint to ensure you’re occluding the artery before it branches near the joint, giving more reliable stopping power.

Placing the tourniquet directly over the wound won’t reliably compress the underlying artery and can damage tissue or contaminate the wound. Placing it below the wound (distal) won’t stop the arterial blood from reaching the injury, and putting it around the ankle is too far from many wounds to be effective.