How would YOU treat a Gun Shot Wound?

[mmcnx2]

OK thread drift.....

It would depend who had the Gun Shot Wound, a friend or someone I put the wound into for reasonable cause. I mean if had to put a hole in someone I'm not sure treating them is within the scope of self defense.

[Norsesmithy]

OK thread drift.....

It would depend who had the Gun Shot Wound, a friend or someone I put the wound into for reasonable cause. I mean if had to put a hole in someone I'm not sure treating them is within the scope of self defense.

A hunting accident law on the books does make it a legal requirement, in Minnesota, that you "render aid" to someone you shoot.

Calling 911 is rendering aid.

I'd be real interested in a GSW care class too. If it gives me some sort of certification, all the better.

[mmcnx2]

I only hunt with folks I consider friends.

I was thinking more like home invader.

[EJSG19]

I only hunt with folks I consider friends.

I was thinking more like home invader.

Actually I seem to remember would be victims, who successfully defended themselves, proceeding to get into trouble because they did not render aid to the apparent attacker. Thats a vague memory, maybe someone can chime in to clarify one way or the other.

Shooting someone is different than killing someone, hard as that line is to draw. To me, the act of a self defense shoot, is not interchangeable with killing someone. You shoot to stop the threat, not to kill, although that may be the result. At least thats what some of us tell ourselves. I still would not feel right standing there, watching someone die, when I thought there was a chance they might live. Thats no different than walking up to them, and putting another round into them to seal the deal. Makes my skin crawl a little, given the context. You may want to, but you shouldn't.

Like Norsesmithy said, calling 911 is probably considered rendering aid, I don't know as it relates to a SD shoot. Yet again we find ourselves in a place where only lawyers and attorneys get to decide the answer, regardless of how we read a law.

[MaddMedic]

National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians recognizes tourniquet use as the best way to control extremety bleeding and is now what we teach in all initial EMT Basic and 1st Responder Initial classes for Bleeding Shock control. The http://www.combattourniquet.com/ is the most common one you see EMS using these days, at least in Minnesota. The US Military has been using them for a feew years now after they discovered hypothermia as the result of blood loss was a number one killer for casualties and that the sooner the soldiers controlled the bleeding and they are taught to apply tourniquet to themselves, the better their chances of surviving a serious extremety wound were including partial and complete amputations.
If direct pressure does not work, apply tourniquet. And no your arm or leg is not going to fall off or have to be amputated, as long as you get to a trauma center or hospital within 4 hours or so. If needed you can release the tourniquet briefly as is how our Medical Directors teach medics and emts.
So no more direct pressure, more bandages, elevation, pressure points then tourniquet.
Direct pressure----> tourniquet.
As for the Quick Clot it generates a lot of heat which some physicians question and there is some research on this. To use it or not?? I won't.

Kevin B
NREMT-Paramedic
EMS Educator
North Memorial Health Care
Adjunct Faculty
AEMS Hennepin Technical Collage

[CraigJS]

Seen one Stalone movie you've seen them all...

[mnglocker]

Depends on what I was shot with, if it was a .45 I'd call my loved ones... 9mm; I'd pop a bendril and dab it with some baking powder paste.

[mmcnx2]

OK so I'll offer aid to the home invader after I protect my family and myself, is placing the tourniquet around the neck and tightening until the bleeding stops acceptable?

Seriously, in the case of home invader or similiar defense, I'd be concerend about blood born disease and argue that touching the person would put me at undue risk. I'll call 911 from a safe distance.

[Pat Cannon]

I'd be concerend about blood born disease and argue that touching the person would put me at undue risk.

That's pretty much what my first aid instructor said.

[chinakay]

Right. If it's wet and sticky and it's not yours...don't touch it.

[1911fan]

There are risk factors here too, at the gun range and a buddy gets a ND/AD I would have very little resistance to helping, even if in contact with blood, as long as I did not have any open sores wounds etc on my hands, even then, if its him bleeding to death now, and my succumbing to something in 10 years or more, I will save him.

If its a street punk who just took two after trying to molest my wife or jacking my car, I call 911 and wait.

I understand the need inside a hospital regarding risks and the fact that you are among sick people, but GenPop the risk is less than one in a hundred for HIV/HEPc and really those are the two to worry about.

[justaguy]

Rambo used gun powder to seal his wounds. If its good enough for Rambo I think its good enough for you clowns.

[FJ540]

I'm with the "calling 911 is my rendering aid" crowd. There's a reason they were shot, and who's to say they're not dangerous just because they're bleeding?

Something else to consider though, is that you could be held to a different standard if it's known that you've got specialized training for specific trauma.

[RAGGED]

I keep one on my sailboat in St. Thomas.

So ..... do you keep the G5 at Holman or MSP INT?

[princewally]

Right. If it's wet and sticky and it's not yours...don't touch it.

That makes for a boring weekend.