Tourniquets

Tourniquets are an essential piece to any first aid kit. They are used to apply pressure to a wound to decrease or stop the flow of bleeding when direct pressure to the bleeding wound is not enough. These are most often used on injury occurring to limbs. Medical attention should always be obtained if possible with tourniquet use. They are easy to use and are suitable for most body sizes. These are non-sterile, clean medical pieces of equipment.

Key First-Aid Item
Like most items in your first aid kit or nursing station, you hope you never need to use them. Tourniquets serve an important purpose in your aid kit, and often come in a single size to fit most bodies and shapes.

Use
Follow the directions given by medical professionals and The Red Cross for specifics on how to properly use this piece of medical equipment. If excessive bleeding occurs you simply tie the tourniquet around the limb that is injured, most often with a square knot. This frees up your hands to perform other medical duties and to call for help. These are most often reusable pieces of medical equipment that can be life saving and are suitable for multiple uses. Between each use it should be thoroughly cleaned and inspected for any imperfections before being stored for future use. If they become visibly worn or stained they should be discarded and replaced with a new tourniquet. Follow the manufacture's guidelines if your tourniquet is intended for multiple or single use.

When and Where
You never know when an accident will happen and you never know when you will need to stop a wound from bleeding. Tourniquets are small and easily stored in bathrooms, first aid kits, backpacks, bags, purses, and cars. When you're on the go and the unexpected happens a few simple items in a first aid kit can help you tend to injury before you're able to seek medical attention.