What is the first step when dealing with a bleeding wound?

Applying direct pressure to the wound is crucial as it helps to control bleeding effectively. When a wound is bleeding, the immediate goal is to reduce blood flow from the injury site. By placing a sterile cloth or bandage over the wound and pressing down firmly, you can help to slow or stop the bleeding. This action promotes clot formation and minimizes blood loss, which can be vital in preventing shock or further complications.

While bandaging the wound, cleaning it, and notifying emergency services are also important steps in wound management, they should follow the initial action of applying pressure. Bandaging should only take place after pressure has been applied, as it may not be effective if the bleeding is not controlled first. Cleaning the wound is important to prevent infection, but doing so before managing the bleeding could worsen the situation. Notifying emergency services may be necessary depending on the severity of the injury, but it is secondary to controlling the bleeding first.