Is there any general reference/text/guide as to how to properly apply medical dressings and bandages for an EMT or paramedic? All the works I have found are simple to the point of being usesless - “apply dressing, apply second dressing” and so on. Has anyone come across something useful?
The standard text where I took EMT training was Mosby EMT (Basic) Textbook, available on Amazon. It costs around $60.
You can also take Red Cross training; the standard first aid course includes instructions and practice for dressing wounds. In my area (San Francisco), the course costs $50, and you get to keep the book.
I don’t know of any specific bandaging guides for EMS. There’s really no “right” way to do it. The important thing is to get a dressing that covers the wound and keep it there. When we bandage stuff, it’s going to come off at the hospital so there’s no point making a fancy dressing. I generally use 4x4 gauze and tape. Sometimes I’ll use Kerlix if the area is difficult to tape.
St. Urho
Paramedic
When I show the ambulance to grade school children they often ask about bandaging. We carry numerous dressing & bandaging supply’s but they really are some of the most unused items we carry. We have to fill all those cabinets, Hey!
Our 1st responders now days will have most things dressed and bandaged to the point we really don’t see the injury and have to rely on their description In many instances we will not open a dressing and look for ourselves. Then many times if we do its not in the presence of the 1st. responders.
We do practice dressing different body area in training and like was posted there are some good books available.
I wonder if you are looking for something that will give you step’s 1-9 for every kind of dressing we would carry?
We really need to just know the basics and just do the job we are presented with.
I have the 10th edition (Brady) EMERGENCY CARE here beside me. It is much more graphic than the books from 30 years ago and covers the essentials very well.
My sister-in-law is an EMT, and she says much the same as St. Urho - 4x4s and tape, or trauma pads (basically really big and thick gauze pads). Whatever it takes to keep the patient’s blood off of you and the rig. Keeping blood inside the patient is a bonus.
There are slightly different ways to bandage an injury, depending on the body part (eye, impalment, burns), but it’s really just about getting it covered and stabilized for transport.
There’s no need to make it pretty, as the nurses in the ER will take it off as soon as you get the patient in there.
I like Coflex, because it sticks well, but won’t hurt when it’s taken off. As already mentioned, 4x4s and tape, or trauma pads are all it takes.