Christina Frimpong teaches STOP THE BLEED^® and spoke about her experience and the importance of knowing how to respond in the event of a serious injury.

What sparked your interest in the nursing profession?

I was always drawn to nursing, even as a child. I’m a caring person by nature. My mom was very sick for a time, and I was inspired by the nurses who cared for her.

Why did you decide to become a STOP THE BLEED^® instructor?

I grew up in Toronto Community Housing, and have lost friends to gun violence. I’ve been in situations where I’ve seen someone injured and you’re scared, you don’t know what to do. But if we can help, the person has a better chance of surviving. A mentor of mine encouraged me to take the STOP THE BLEED^® course. After taking it, I was inspired and knew I had skills that I could bring to the table as an instructor.”

Why do you think it’s important to take a course like STOP THE BLEED^®?

STOP THE BLEED^® equips people with knowledge. You don’t have to be a medical expert to learn simple steps that can help save a life. The course provides hands-on experience and it’s not isolated to injuries resulting from violence. Severe bleeding can happen from a kitchen injury or bad fall too. It’s about giving people confidence to help others, or even themselves.

What might surprise people about controlling massive blood loss?

People are surprised by how deep serious wounds are. Also, the amount of pressure that is needed to stem bleeding and how incredibly tight the tourniquet needs to be. People often say “what if I’m hurting them.” The discomfort in the moment is outweighed by the importance of applying pressure and packing the wound.

How have you seen the course impact participants?

Sometimes they’ll share their own experiences, stories and point of view with me or the group. By the end of the session they are often amazed and really thankful to have learned these skills. I’m inspired by their reflections and input. We learn from each other.

The post Christina teaches others how to STOP THE BLEED® appeared first on Your Health Matters.

With the days getting warmer and the May long weekend quickly approaching, many of us are getting ready to enjoy some fun activities, like a trip to the cottage, hikes, or the first camping trip of the season. While it’s a great time of year to get outside, it’s also when we see many traumatic injuries take place.

Actively preventing injury is always the main objective, but being ready to respond when an incident occurs is the next best option. It helps to be prepared by carrying a first aid kit with a few essential items. We often think about packing disinfectant and ice packs, but did you know large bleeding incidents (which could be caused by a fall or using home improvement tools, for example) benefit from some specific items. A person can bleed to death in as little as 5 minutes, so it’s important to be equipped with the tools necessary to control critical bleeding before help arrives.

What to pack:

• Gloves. A few pairs of gloves provide a great barrier between you and the individual you’re helping.
• Gauze. A great material to use when applying pressure or packing a bleeding wound.
• Extra clothes or t-shirts. If you run out of gauze, an extra t-shirt or two can be used to pack a bleeding wound or apply pressure.
• A high quality tourniquet, such as the Combat Application Tourniquet (CAT). This is perhaps the most important item to include. A tourniquet can be extremely effective at stopping a life-threatening bleed and can be on for many hours until help arrives. Sunnybrook highly recommends receiving formal training in how to apply a tourniquet before adding one to your first aid kit. You can take training by registering for a STOP THE BLEED® course. A CAT Gen7 Tourniquet can be purchased when registering for our course or during class.
• A permanent marker. This can be used to mark the time of tourniquet application, which is handy if you are in a rural area where it might take longer to get help.
• A whistle. Use this to signal for help and assist first responders in locating you.

Remember, if you’re in rural or remote areas where cell coverage or WIFI is unavailable, emergency calls can only be made through a satellite phone. Check to see if your cell phone has the capability to make a satellite call. Always be sure to tell someone where you’re going and your planned schedule.

Sunnybrook wishes you a safe and happy long weekend!

The post Your first aid kit can help STOP THE BLEED® appeared first on Your Health Matters.

A STOP THE BLEED® participant “packs” a bullet wound with a t-shirt (Durham College).

Thomas Bezruki holds up a package of combat-grade medical gauze and a red t-shirt.

“You would be amazed at how much material it takes to pack a large, deep wound. If you don’t have gauze on hand, even a t-shirt will work,” he tells the group gathered around him, a mix of first responders from the Oshawa area, students and staff from Durham College, and the general public.

A member of the group steps forward to practice packing a deep laceration on a realistic-looking fake limb, complete with simulated blood pouring out of it. She uses almost the entire package of gauze to “pack” the wound and applies direct pressure with her hands before the bleeding finally stops.

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“Anyone who does this training can help save a life.”

– Corey Freedman, Manager, Trauma Services at Sunnybrook

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The demonstration is part of STOP THE BLEED®, a training course developed by the American College of Surgeons that provides civilian bystanders with the skills and tools to stop uncontrolled bleeding in an emergency situation. Instruction is delivered using a combination of presentations and hands-on practice.

Sunnybrook’s Centre for Injury Prevention brought the program to Canada for the first time in 2017, and has since trained thousands of people.

“We show people how to stop life-threatening bleeding following everyday emergencies, natural disasters and mass casualty incidents. Anyone who does this training can help save a life,” says Corey Freedman, Manager of Trauma Services at Sunnybrook and a certified STOP THE BLEED® facilitator.

The facilitators who helped certify over 200 people at Canada’s largest-ever STOP THE BLEED® training event on May 13, 2022.

On May 13, 2022, Sunnybrook partnered with Durham College to hold the largest STOP THE BLEED® training event ever held in Canada, helping 217 people become certified.

The event was held a week before the Victoria Day long weekend, which is often referred to as the unofficial start of trauma season. Trauma hospitals like Sunnybrook traditionally see a significant increase in traumatic injuries over the summer months, making this a key time to offer the training to large groups. Watch of video of the event on Instagram.

Course facilitators included several staff members from Sunnybrook and Bezruki, the Manager of Emergency Management at Durham College and a former Tactical Combat Casualty Care (TCCC) medic in the Canadian military.

Thomas Bezruki demonstrates the proper use of a tourniquet to stop uncontrolled bleeding (Durham College).

Bezruki says Durham College has installed over 30 STOP THE BLEED® kits, which include essential items like tourniquets, gloves and gauze, across its Oshawa and Whitby campuses. He hopes other institutions follow suit by offering the training course and installing the kits, and he encourages individuals to sign up for STOP THE BLEED® training.

“Everyone should know how to stop bleeding after an injury. The more people who know how to control bleeding in someone who is injured, the greater the chances are that person will survive,” he says.

Sunnybrook offers public and private STOP THE BLEED® training opportunities. Learn more and register for an upcoming course at sunnybrook.ca/stopthebleed.

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