From 2013 to 2015, the number of civilian reports of emergency tourniquet use in the
medical literature has increased
[
1
,
2
,
3
,
4
,
5
,
6
,
7
,
8
,
9
,
10
,
11
,
12
,
13
,
14
,
15
]. Civilian law enforcement reports have also occurred during this time
[
16
,
17
]. Although expert reviewers of first aid science note that tourniquet data are weak,
first aid use of limb tourniquets has become a consensus internationally as a skill
recommended to be taught to everyone; such recommenders are the leading authorities
including the American Heart Association, the American Red Cross, the International
Liaison Committee on Resuscitation, and President Obama's Administration (18, 19,
https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2015/10/06/fact-sheet-bystander-stop-bleed-broad-private-sector-support-effort-save, accessed Feb. 1, 2016; http://www.dhs.gov/stopthebleed, accessed Feb. 1, 2016). In 2014 and 2015, preliminary reports of tourniquet training
started addressing relevant issues, but much remains unknown or unclear, such as whether
skill of tourniquet users may decay over time
[
18
,
19
,
20
,
21
]. The purpose of the present study is to explore skill decay in tourniquet use in
order to provide 1) initial information on a technique of measurement, and 2) preliminary
guidance for instruction of users.To read this article in full you will need to make a payment
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References
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- Effects of training and simulated combat stress on leg tourniquet application accuracy, time, and effectiveness.Mil Med. 2014; 179: 114-120
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- Single versus double routing of the band in the combat application tourniquet.J Spec Oper Med. 2013; 13: 34-41
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Article Info
Publication History
Published online: June 29, 2016
Accepted:
June 23,
2016
Received:
June 23,
2016
Footnotes
☆The opinions or assertions contained herein are the private views of the authors and are not to be construed as official or as reflecting the views of the Department of the Army or the Department of Defense.
Identification
Copyright
Published by Elsevier Inc.
