A 25-year-old male with an open femur fracture is pale and diaphoretic. Direct pressure fails to control bleeding. What is indicated?

Prepare for the Paramedic Readiness Exam 4 with our engaging quiz. Hone your skills with targeted questions, hints, and in-depth explanations. Excel on your exam with confidence!

Multiple Choice

A 25-year-old male with an open femur fracture is pale and diaphoretic. Direct pressure fails to control bleeding. What is indicated?

When there is life-threatening bleeding from an extremity that cannot be controlled with direct pressure, the priority is to stop the hemorrhage as quickly as possible. A tourniquet achieves that by applying circumferential pressure around the limb to compress the arteries (and veins) above the wound, effectively cutting off arterial inflow and dramatically reducing blood loss. In this scenario, the open femur fracture is bleeding profusely and direct pressure has failed to control it, while the patient is pale and diaphoretic—signs of impending or ongoing shock from blood loss. Deploying a tourniquet promptly stabilizes the patient for transport and improves chances of survival. Place the tourniquet high on the limb, about 5 cm (2 inches) or more above the wound, avoiding joints and directly over any fracture site if possible. Tighten until bleeding stops or becomes controlled, and note the time of application. Afterward, reassess distal perfusion and continue to monitor the patient while preparing for rapid transport.

When there is life-threatening bleeding from an extremity that cannot be controlled with direct pressure, the priority is to stop the hemorrhage as quickly as possible. A tourniquet achieves that by applying circumferential pressure around the limb to compress the arteries (and veins) above the wound, effectively cutting off arterial inflow and dramatically reducing blood loss. In this scenario, the open femur fracture is bleeding profusely and direct pressure has failed to control it, while the patient is pale and diaphoretic—signs of impending or ongoing shock from blood loss. Deploying a tourniquet promptly stabilizes the patient for transport and improves chances of survival.

Place the tourniquet high on the limb, about 5 cm (2 inches) or more above the wound, avoiding joints and directly over any fracture site if possible. Tighten until bleeding stops or becomes controlled, and note the time of application. Afterward, reassess distal perfusion and continue to monitor the patient while preparing for rapid transport.

More practice questions