Emergency Medical Technician how-to
How to Apply a Tourniquet
Tourniquets stop life-threatening bleeding from an arm or leg when direct pressure isn’t enough.
Tourniquets stop life-threatening bleeding from an arm or leg when direct pressure isn’t enough. In short: identify; place; pull, then complete the remaining steps below.
Step by step
Identify severe, life-threatening bleeding from an extremity.
Place the tourniquet two to three inches above the wound, not over a joint.
Pull the strap tight and secure it.
Twist the windlass until the bleeding stops and the distal pulse is absent.
Lock the windlass in place and secure it.
Write the time of application on the tourniquet or patient.
Do not loosen it; reassess and report the application time to the receiving hospital.
Safety reminders for emergency medical technicians
- Always size up the scene and wait for law enforcement when a scene isn’t safe
- Wear gloves and eye protection for every patient contact
- Use proper lifting technique and lift with your partner
- Drive the ambulance with due regard for others: emergency status doesn’t remove responsibility
Key terms
NREMT · Scene size-up · Primary assessment · SAMPLE history · OPQRST · AED: see the full emergency medical technician glossary.