# Tourniquet: uncontrolled extremity bleeding

Apply an approved tourniquet, keep it visible, and communicate the placement time.

Population: Adult & pediatric. Scope: BLS / ALS.
Status: published. Source-linked OCEMS summary.
Summary updated: 2026-09-16.
Source checked: 2026-09-16.
Source version: See linked source for document revision and implementation dates..
Canonical page: https://www.ocmedic.com/guides/tourniquet/
Official source: [B-010 — Tourniquets: Indications and Procedure](https://www.ochealthinfo.com/sites/hca/files/import/data/files/12429.pdf)

Independent OC Medic summary. Does not replace the complete policy, current system notices, or clinical judgment.

## Key cautions & base contact

- The device must remain visible during transport and handoff.
- Placement requires an ALS-level response under B-010.

## Source documents

- [B-010 — Tourniquets: Indications and Procedure](https://www.ochealthinfo.com/sites/hca/files/import/data/files/12429.pdf)

## When to use it

- B-010 indicates a tourniquet for upper- or lower-extremity hemorrhage that cannot be controlled with direct pressure or a pressure dressing.
- Use appropriate blood-exposure PPE and an approved device. Inspect the injury and assess distal circulation, motor function, and sensation.

## Place & tighten

- Apply proximal to the wound, usually 2–4 inches above it under this source. Avoid placing over a joint, angulated/open fracture, or the stab/gunshot wound itself.
- Tighten to the pressure needed to stop bleeding. Cover the wound with an appropriate sterile dressing or bandage.
- Leave the tourniquet visible; do not cover it with the wound dressing.

## Reassess

- Reassess distal circulation, motor function, and sensation and the effectiveness of bleeding control. Record vital signs and the application time.
- An ALS response is required when a tourniquet is placed. Continue the applicable trauma assessment and destination pathway.

## Handoff

- Tell the receiving team where the device is and exactly when it was applied; make that information visible in the report and documentation.
- Use the amputation standing order for care of an amputated part. This page describes the B-010 tourniquet procedure, not every trauma-management task.