A gunshot wound is a physical injury sustained from being hit by a bullet from a firearm, air gun or any other type of gun.
Damages resulting from a gunshot wound may include bleeding, broken bones, organ damage, wound infection, loss of ability to move part of the body, or in severe cases death. Death from gunshot injury is mainly due to blood loss from torn blood vessels or muscles, or damage to vital organs like the heart or brain.
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Gunshot wounds are violent and can be very complex. In some cases, a victim may not receive medical attention quickly, in some other cases, hospitals reject gunshot victims for fear of treating a criminal. Therefore, it is always a good option to have first aid and CPR training to be prepared for emergencies and know what to do in a critical care environment with a gunshot victim.
In cases like this, Twitter user, @firstdoctorr, shares 10 tips to save a gunshot victim.
1. Make sure you are safe first!
2. Shout for help or make a brief SOS call to alert others.
3. Look for any source of bleeding in the victim; remove their clothing if necessary.
4. Try to stop the bleeding with pressure – if no medical supplies, cover the wound tightly with a cloth, shirt, scarf, etc
5. Keep pressing down hard on the bleeding area with both hands. Press & press!
6. If the injury is very deep, press the cloth into it to pack the wound.
7. If a trauma kit is available and gunshot injury is on the leg or hand, pull a tourniquet tight around the victim’s arm or leg ABOVE THE WOUND!
8. Elevate the injured limb above the rest of the body!
9. If the victim is already losing consciousness or you can’t feel their heartbeat anymore, start CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) with chest compressions.
IF UNCONSCIOUS:
* Call your local medical emergency number
* Start Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation, CPR, with chest compression & rescue breaths
* If a child is unconscious & unresponsive, perform 1 minute of CPR, then call your local emergency number or rush to the hospital.
10. While you’re doing all these, let other people around help to make fast arrangements to move the victim to the nearest medical facility!!
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