Effectiveness of ACS bleeding control training in laypeople

Editor's Note

Laypeople currently trained in the American College of Surgeons (ACS) Bleeding Control Basic (B-Con) course may not be prepared to care for bleeding individuals because the principles for correct Combat Application Tourniquet (CAT) application taught in the course are not fully translatable to other commercial or improvised tourniquets, this study finds.

A total of 102 course participants were evaluated on the application of five different tourniquets.

Participants correctly applied the CAT at a significantly higher rate (92.2%) than all other commercial tourniquet types−Special Operation Forces Tactical Tourniquet (68.6%), Stretch-Wrap-and-Tuck Tourniquet (11.8%), Rapid Application Tourniquet System (11.8%), and an improvised tourniquet (32.4%).

The study demonstrates a disconnect between the B-Con course and tourniquet designs available for bystander first aid, possible because of a lack of consensus guidelines, the authors say.