Note: Your progress in watching these videos WILL NOT be tracked. These training videos are the same videos you will experience when you take the full Family First Aid Level 2 (VTQ) program. You may begin the training for free at any time to start officially tracking your progress toward your certificate of completion.
Hidden Threat: Excessive blood loss doesn't always involve visible skin injuries; it can occur internally with fractures or organ damage.
Impact of Fractures: Even when the skin remains intact, a broken thigh bone can lead to blood loss of up to one litre; if there's an external bleed, this can escalate to one to two litres.
Pelvic Fractures: Pelvic fractures can range from minor blood loss to severe cases where a person can lose all their blood, as the main femoral artery passes over the pelvis.
Organ Injuries: Injuries to organs such as the spleen, liver, or chest can result in varying levels of blood loss, from minimal to total.
Challenging Recognition: Identifying severe blood loss can be difficult. It's wise to assume the worst and treat accordingly due to the challenges of assessing both external and internal bleeding.
Factors Affecting Recognition: Various factors like age, size, weight, medical conditions, fitness, and medications can influence how signs and symptoms manifest, potentially masking them until the situation becomes critical.
Collect Information: Gather details about the incident history and assess the injury mechanism.
Watch for Signs: Keep an eye out for these signs:
Immediate Actions:
Position and Monitor:
