Apply A Field Dressing
 

Posted Friday, October 7, 2005

a. Use the casualty's field dressing; remove it from the wrapper and grasp the tails of the dressing with both hands (Figure 2-28).

WARNING: DO NOT touch the white (sterile) side of the dressing, and DO NOT allow the white (sterile) side of the dressing to come in contact with any surface other than the wound.

b. Hold the dressing directly over the wound with the white side down. Pull the dressing open (Figure 2-29) and place it directly over the wound (Figure 2-30).

c. Hold the dressing in place with one hand. Use the other hand to wrap one of the tails around the injured part, covering about one-half of the dressing (Figure 2-31). Leave enough of the tail for a knot. If the casualty is able, he may assist by holding the dressing in place.

d. Wrap the other tail in the opposite direction until the remainder of the dressing is covered. The tails should seal the sides of the dressing to keep foreign material from getting under it.

e. Tie the tails into a nonslip knot over the outer edge of the dressing (Figure 2-32). DO NOT TIE THE KNOT OVER THE WOUND. In order to allow blood to flow to the rest of an injured limb, tie the dressing firmly enough to prevent it from slipping but without causing a tourniquet-like effect; that is, the skin beyond the injury becomes cool blue, or numb.