If a patient had a broken arm, a cut on his/her head and blood spurting from an open wound on the leg, which injury would you treat first?

• A. Broken arm
• B. Cut on the head
• C. Leg bruise with no bleeding
• D. Bleeding spurting from an open wound

Answer: (D)

In emergencies, the first priority is stopping life-threatening bleeding. Blood spurting from an open wound on the leg signals arterial bleeding, which can lead to rapid death if not controlled immediately. This danger makes it the most urgent issue to address, even before dealing with other injuries like a broken arm or a head cut. A head wound and a broken arm are serious and require care, but they don’t pose the same immediate risk of rapid blood loss. The leg wound with arterial-type bleeding should be treated first by applying direct pressure with a clean cloth, and if bleeding persists or is severe, using additional measures (like a tourniquet) as trained. Once bleeding is under control, you can attend to the other injuries.