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Bloody noses are uncomfortable and scary-looking, but usually not dangerous. Kids get nosebleeds more often than adults, typically either from irritating the nasal membrane (picking their noses) or from trauma (like a soccer ball in the face). When adults get nosebleeds, it could be an indicator of a more severe medical problem. Be sure to tell your doctor if you have gotten bloody noses, especially without physical trauma.
Stay Safe! Follow universal precautions and wear personal protective equipment if you have it. The victim’s bloody nose may be from trauma. Make sure you are not going to be hurt while helping the victim.
- Lean forward, not back. Don’t try to protect a favorite shirt by leaning back. The blood needs to go somewhere and will most likely go down the throat. If the victim leans back, blood could get in the windpipe causing a blocked airway, or go into the stomach. Blood may irritate the stomach lining and cause the victim to vomit.
- Pinch the victim’s nose just below the bony bridge. Your fingers should be on the soft tissue as well as the bone. If there is still blood flowing, adjust your grip. There should not be visible bleeding while you are holding the nose. Blood vessels that supply the nasal membrane can be pinched against the bony bridge (the hard part) to slow blood flow and create a clot. Hold the nose for at least 5 minutes. Do not let go to check bleeding until the 5 minutes is up.
- After 5 minutes, release the pressure to see if the bleeding has stopped. If not, repeat Step 3 for 10 minutes this time. Remember: don’t let go to check bleeding until the 10 minutes is up. Repeat for another 10 minutes if necessary.
If a nosebleed doesn’t stop after the second or third try, it’s time to see a doctor. If at any time, the victim feels lightheaded, dizzy, or weak, call 911. If left uncontrolled, bloody noses can lead to shock
Tips:
Placing ice or a chemical cold pack over the bridge of the nose can constrict the blood vessels and help stop bleeding. Use this in addition to pressure
After the bleeding is controlled, do not let the victim blow his or her nose. Blowing the nose will release the clots and encourage bleeding to start again.
Most bloody noses are the result of dry nasal membranes or trauma. However, some nosbleeds occur spontaneously and may indicate more serious medical problems. Contact a physician if the victim is suffering from frequent or hard-to-control bloody noses.
Bloody noses after trauma to the head may indicate a brain injury – especially if the bleeding occurs without obvious facial injury. If a victim of significant trauma – such as a vehicle accident or fall – is bleeding from the nose, call 911 immediately
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A first aid kit. Every home, office and car should have one.
What are the main items you should always have on hand:
- CPR Faceshield: Performing CPR is so uncommon, it can be easy to overlook this addition to the first aid kits. Mouth to Mouth rescue breathing may not be a particularly pleasant experience. Carrying a Microshield makes this task much more bearable and sanitary.
- Exam Gloves: Bloodborne diseases can be transmitted through very small cracks in the skin. We don’t tend to worry too much about the potential for bloodborne diseases when working on a spouse or child, but first aid kits aren’t always used on family members.
- Band-aids: These are the mainstays of the first aid kit. There are plenty of brands of adhesive bandages. Look for water-proof and latex-free.
- Hand Cleaners: Hand-washing with warm water and soap is the best way to prevent the spread of infections (yes, even with gloves on). But as we all know, water and soap aren’t always available. Carry disinfectants in the first aid kit to always have them on hand.
- Tweezers: Whether it’s taking out splinters or ticks, tweezers are an absolute necessity in a home or travel first aid kit.
SOS Emergency Response Technologies has a full line of first aid kits to meet any need.
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In Canada 35,000 to 45,000 people die of sudden cardiac arrest each year. For every one minute delay in providing oxygen, the survival rate of a cardiac arrest victim decreases by 7 to 10%. Oxygen is essential life, and supplemental oxygen is the most frequently used option to treat acutely ill and injured people. Emergency oxygen is used when a person experiences sudden injury or illness, whether it be cardiopulmary emergencies (heart attack or stroke), respiratory illness or traumatic injury. The conservative and risk-preventive approach is to follow standard of care – give oxygen. In an emergency situation, oxygen is given to patients immeadiately, even if there is no formal perscription or drug order. However, be sure to make written record of who received the oxygen, at what litre flow per minute and for how long. At SOS Emergency Response Technologies one of our goals is to increase awareness on the importance of using emergency oxygen in a an emergency situation.
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Oxygen is essential life, and supplemental oxygen is the most frequently used option to treat acutely ill and injured people. Emergency oxygen is used when a person experiences sudden injury or illness, whether it be cardiopulmary emergencies (heart attack or stroke), respiratory illness or traumatic injury.
The conservative and risk-preventive approach is to follow standard of care – give oxygen. In an emergency situation, oxygen is given to patients immeadiately, even if there is no formal perscription or drug order. However, be sure to make written record of who received the oxygen, at what litre flow per minute and for how long.
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Staying Safe
Safety is an ongoing concern that must never leave your thoughts.
There is a primal instinct in many people to dash to the rescue of those in need. Regardless of the dire circumstances of whatever terrible accident or injury you may witness, it’s urgent that you keep your wits about you and stay safe.
Safety is an awareness of your surroundings and a healthy fear of unstable situations. By it’s very nature, an emergency is an unstable situation. If everything were truly under control, nothing bad would’ve happened in the first place.
If, for example, you see a person struck by a car in a crosswalk, do not rush headlong into the street to see if they’re injured. You will no doubt find yourself lying next to them after being struck by the next car barreling down the road.
In its 2010 CPR Guidelines, the American Heart Association changed the order of ABC’s. ABC is still the best way to remember the beginning, so here is a new way to think of the ABC’s and still follow the CPR Guidelines:
- A: Awake?
- B: Breathing?
- C: Continue Care
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We strap our children into car seats and boosters, we make sure they get their vaccines, we make them wear bike helmets…yet everyday we send them off to school into buildings that will not withstand an earthquake.
In September a 6.4-magnitude earthquake struck deep off the west coast of Vancouver Island. It didn’t cause any damage hundreds of kilometres away at Vancouver’s Kitsilano Secondary School but it did send ripples through the school and scared many students, teachers and parents. There are over 500 schools in B.C. at risk, 50 alone in the Greater Vancouver area that will not be able to handle even a moderate quake.
Experts warn that in the event of a collapse, other dangers will emerge, including exits jamming shut or collapsing, suffocation from dust and a toxic legacy from lead paint, asbestos and other materials. As Vancouver School Board Chair Patti Bacchus recently said, “earthquakes are a natural phenomenon, they rarely kill people but bad buildings do.”
What can you do?
Be Proactive…Be Prepared.
Have an emergency escape plan, practice it, have supplies for 3 to 7 days, take an emergency preparedness class.
