[Ringangleclaw]

[grannyhiker]

There's nothing wrong with sanitary napkins as a compress for those who take some along anyway. They are, after all, designed to absorb fairly large amounts of blood. Most women don't use them any more, and, of course, once we reach a certain age, we no longer need such products. The same is true of incontinence pads, which some of us getting well up in years need to carry. I definitely would not recommend buying a package just for the purpose, but if you have them available anyway, they work just fine as an emergency compress. I suspect you men are thinking of used products, which of course shouldn't be anywhere near an open wound. As sold, such pads are super clean and come individually wrapped. In the case of severe bleeding, the compress for immediate use doesn't have to be sterile anyway due to the volume of blood. Your first aid class will tell you to use anything within immediate reach that's absorbent. If a wound is bleeding severely there is no time to go searching for the perfect compress! You don't worry about sterility until the bleeding is stopped. The professional bandage that has been in your pack for 10-15 years is definitely no longer sterile, either, and. if it contains clotting medication, it is probably of an obsolete type that damages tissue and is no longer recommended (this per my latest WFA class). The statistical chances of a solo or 2-3 person party's needing a specialized compress are so small that, IMHO, it's not worth buying and carrying, except in the leader's first aid kit for a larger group. In 76 years of backpacking, I've never encountered a case of serious bleeding. Abrasions are far more likely.

[Ringangleclaw]

[Ringangleclaw]

[Seventy2002]

[Ringangleclaw]

Okay. They last several years before their expiration date, add to that the quoted six to eleven years and there is no reason to think that a 10-15 year old battle dressing in an intact factory package is compromised. It should be replaced because it is expired, but the alarmist post is misplaced.

[nordique]

I somehow expected first aid/first responder people to set us all straight on this issue, very quickly--but that does not to be happening--and I've no idea why. Why? Any responders?

[Frango]

[Leafguy]

From classes I have been required to take at work and classes I have taken on my own, I say that if you have a sputter, where blood is spurring out, not just running or oozing, a tourniquet may be the only way to save someone from bleeding out. Otherwise, use whatever you have to provide compression and slow or stop the bleeding. Wildernessed has tons of experience with this from his ER days in bang bang shoot em up Ohio. Please chime in here Rob. Your knowledge is probably a lot more extensive and helpful than guys like me. Also, thanks so much Nordique for your sacrifices for us.

[HitTheTrail]

[Kascadia]

[Leafguy]

[nordique]

NO such thing as a lowly ER nurse. "Nurse, how are you doing with my morphine?" Sadly, in my ER experience, patient intake procedures and paperwork come first, as I'm gasping and moaning. It's SO nice to have outgrown kidney stones! Luckily, for me, my pain was dealt with VERY speedily, in Vietnam, once we got to the hospital.

[bobcoleman0321recon]

There is a national Stop the Bleed campaign https://stopthebleedingcoalition.org/ Serious bleeds are rare, but if you or someone else has one don't mess around. Sufficient information on appropriate products and techniques is available. EMT 1983-1991 OEC 2013 Present EMT 2014 Present

[Schenk]

How do people feel about using something like "QuickClot" as compared with a tourniquet? Will QuickClot work on arterial bleeding effectively as a properly applied tourniquet? https://quikclot.com/QuikClot/Solutions-for-Every-Situation/Public-Access