When treating bleeding, what should you NOT do?

When addressing a bleeding wound, it is essential to understand the appropriate steps to take to promote healing and prevent further blood loss. One critical action is to avoid removing a soaked dressing. When a dressing becomes soaked with blood, it indicates that the wound is actively bleeding. If you remove this dressing, it can disturb any clot that has begun to form, potentially leading to increased bleeding.

Instead, maintaining the dressing in place helps to control the bleeding and allows for clotting to occur. If the dressing is soaked, the recommended practice is to apply additional layers of dressing on top, rather than removing it, allowing for better pressure and absorption of blood.

The other actions listed, such as applying pressure to the wound, seeking medical help, and monitoring for shock, are all appropriate and necessary responses when dealing with a bleeding injury. Applying pressure helps minimize blood loss, seeking medical assistance may be critical for serious injuries, and monitoring for shock is vital to ensure the patient's stability.