Knowing exactly what to do if someone has been stabbed can make the difference between surviving or dying.
Here, gathering advice from the NHS, the British Red Cross and First Aid For Life, MailOnline tells you what you should do…
Knowing exactly what to do if someone has been stabbed can make the difference between surviving or dying.
The NHS emphasizes that four simple steps should be followed, starting with making sure the area is safe. “Consider your own safety,” says a leaflet from NHS Herefordshire and Worcestershire.
First Aid for Life, a training course provider, adds: “Before rushing to help the victim, it is important to remember that this is a crime scene.”
“Take a second to make sure the area is safe and that you’re not putting yourself in danger.”
After checking that it is safe to approach the victim, apply pressure to their wound with “whatever is available”, the NHS says.
This will act as a “plug” to prevent blood from escaping, helping to create a clot and stop the bleeding, or at least slow it down.
Call 999 and hold pressure on the wound until an ambulance arrives, the NHS says. If you can’t call yourself, ask someone else to do it, he adds.
Here, gathering advice from the NHS, the British Red Cross and First Aid For Life, MailOnline explains what you should do… Call 999 and keep pressure on the wound until an ambulance arrives, the NHS says. If you can’t call yourself, ask someone else to do it, he adds.
The British Red Cross follows the advice and adds that if there is an object embedded in the wound, you should not remove it.
“This could make the bleeding much worse,” he says. “Apply pressure around it.”
First Aid for Life says anything caught in the wound is “likely to cause bleeding,” adding, “Please note that most perpetrators do not leave the weapon on the victim.”
If the victim is bleeding a lot, they may bleed and soak the object you are using to maintain pressure.
In this case, the NHS advises removing the soaked item of clothing (possibly a jacket or other item of clothing) and replacing it with a new one.
You should also not wash the wound because this could also cause more bleeding.
Soapy water is only appropriate for minor cuts to remove dirt and animal bites if they are not bleeding heavily, the NHS says.
Some people may worry about catching an infection or infecting the person they are helping, but the NHS says that as long as you don’t cut yourself, it is unlikely to be a problem.
However, if you want to protect yourself, a plastic bag or gloves can act as a barrier.
If not enough blood flows through the body, the victim may turn pale, feel cold and dizzy, the Red Cross warns.
This is a physical response to an injury called shock.
Unlike the emotional response of feeling shocked, it can be life-threatening, so it is important to act quickly.
If you suspect someone is going into shock as a result of the stab, you should first keep pressure on the wound and call 999, if you haven’t already, says the NHS.
Then, lay him down and raise his feet above the rest of his body. NHS advice says “this keeps your legs higher than your heart, which helps increase blood flow to the brain and heart.”
The Red Cross also advises continuing to calm them down and wrapping them in coats and blankets to keep them warm.