Sunday, September 24, 2017

Bandaging




Smallest wound I've ever seen that became a major problem: a pimple.
Worst wounds I've ever seen that were definitely a problem:
Massive burns.
Evisceration.
Traumatic Amputation.

If you want to do bandaging, you have to be prepared to deal with all of the above.
And anything in between the simplest to the most complex.

Times the number of people you're thinking of helping.
Times the amount of time you may be the only medical resource available.

This is a lot of territory to think about.
There are books to help you.

But one of the smallest guides I could refer to covers just bandaging in over twenty pages (at 5" x 8", with pictures!), so it's a cinch I'm not going to eat the elephant in one bite, or in one blog post. Even the best medical course I took devoted an entire 3-hour evening just to it, plus untold hours of practical exercise.

What I will do, in a 3-5 minute read, is go over it one bite at a time.

Start by getting your hands on a good book (or better, 3 or 10) on first aid/primary medical care.
For the terminally cheap, here are the .mil versions to consider:

TC 4-02.1 (2016) First Aid
FM 21-11 (1988) First Aid For Soldiers
FM 8-50 (1940) Bandaging and Splinting

There are many other worthy choices, but if those were all you had, you'd do okay.
Getting them on thumb drives takes three mouse clicks. Printing them out (because you're smart like that) will cost you part of an ink cartridge, and a ream of paper.

I urge you to make the effort.
Class will be back in session tomorrow.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Not on point...for this point...but on point...for the bigger point. Maybe some of the sports f***tards will see this. Keep up the fantastic work.

http://www.wnd.com/2017/09/watch-basketball-coach-teach-athletes-incredible-lesson-on-respect/

MMinWA said...

Dude, who are you? In just about 1 month of daily stopping by, I have gotten literally a ton of info, some of it life saving like this post, that I am printing out.

On top of this, you talk like me and most w Texans in my orbit.

Aesop said...

http://raconteurreport.blogspot.com/2008/10/tyranny-of-blank-life.html

The Gray Man said...

This is why I'm glad to have resumed my career in nursing after the military, and why I'm glad I didn't choose to go back into the psych field, and instead chose a trauma/surgical floor. Nothing but treating common injuries, surgical wounds, traumatic injuries, etc. Will likely be moving to ICU in a few months. Invaluable knowledge.

SiGraybeard said...

Got a title or link for that ...one of the smallest guides I could refer to covers just bandaging in over twenty pages (at 5" x 8", with pictures!)?

Aesop said...

Sure. I added it to the post.