Bandaging

Attention

• Check circulation and sensation — after bandaging check hands/fingers, feet/toes for colour, warmth, sensation, movement, peripheral pulses 
• If any not normal — take off bandage
• Ask person if bandage is too tight or too loose
• Remember, the bigger the limb, the wider the bandage needed
• Start bandaging from inside of limb, wind bandage on so you cover a bit more than half the bandage you have just laid down

What you need

• Bandages for size of limb
• Tape to secure bandage

Bandaging a head

• Simple way to cover head wound using a triangular bandage — Figure 10.3, Figure 10.4

Bandaging an arm

• Apply bandage directly over wounded area with enough pressure to stop bleeding — Figure 10.5
• Check circulation and sensation

Bandaging a hand

• Wrap end of bandage around wrist twice
• Cross bandage over back of hand to between thumb and index finger — Figure 10.6
• Go around knuckles once — Figure 10.7
• Go over hand again, crossing from little finger to wrist — Figure 10.7
• Repeat until hand covered — Figure 10.8
• Can use sling to rest hand after bandaging

• Triangular bandage can be used — good to control bleeding palm
• Make hand into fist while holding combine or non-adherent dressing
• Cover whole hand with triangular bandage, tie at wrist
• Check circulation and sensation

Bandaging a finger/toe

• Use stretchy tubular bandage
• Cut length 4 times longer than finger
• Flatten tube, cut along length with scissors to about halfway down
• Put uncut end over finger, twist strip at fingertip — Figure 10.9
• Bring cut ends back over finger and tie around palm and wrist — Figure 10.10
• Make sure ends around wrist are wide. More comfortable, less risk of cutting off circulation
• Check circulation and sensation

Bandaging elbow or knee joint

• Have person bend elbow/knee slightly
• Put pillow under thigh to help lift knee
• Wrap bandage around arm/leg below elbow/knee twice — Figure 10.11
• Go over inside of elbow/knee and around arm/leg above joint — Figure 10.12
• Go over inside of elbow/knee and around arm/leg below joint again — Figure 10.13
• Check circulation and sensation

Bandaging a leg

• Apply bandage directly over wounded area with enough pressure to stop bleeding — Figure 10.14
• Check circulation and sensation

Bandaging a foot

• Wrap end of bandage around ankle twice
• Cross bandage over top of foot to little toe, then wrap around foot — Figure 10.15
• Come from under foot near big toe and cross over top of foot to ankle — Figure 10.16. Repeat — Figure 10.17
• Check circulation and sensation

Bandaging wounds with protruding objects

• Do not take object (eg knife, spear, glass) out of wound
• Do not poke around in (probe) wound
• Put rolled bandage on each side of object to support it firmly — Figure 10.18
• Use figure of 8 technique and 2 more bandages to bandage around the 2 support rolls until object held firmly — Figure 10.19, Figure 10.20
• Check circulation and sensation