UVA Nursing Students Host “Stop the Bleed” Course at High School
Louisa County High School held a “Stop the Bleed” course, where University of Virginia nursing students trained students, faculty and staff in how to handle a life-threatening injury.
- By Jessica Davis
- March 29, 2019
Louisa County High School held a “Stop the Bleed” course on March 21, where University of Virginia nursing students trained students, faculty and staff in how to handle a life-threatening injury.
“You really, truly never know when you're gonna be the one who needs to make that difference,” said Ryan Thomas, a third-year University of Virginia nursing student. “The [Stop the Bleed] course was created after the Sandy Hook massacre and it was created to empower people to respond to life-threatening bleeds in that like 3 to 5-minute time frame when it really counts.”
If a person were to lose just half a gallon of blood in that 3- to 5-minute time frame, they would die. Attendees of the Stop the Bleed training at the high school learned how to stop that blood loss by using a tourniquet or packing a wound.
Thomas was the one to introduce the idea of holding the Stop the Bleed course.
“My first day of clinical here, we had a lockdown drill and so I asked a lot of questions and got into a really good conversation about how our preparation and response is like totally just to lock ourselves in a room, and we don't ever address like what to do next if something were to happen,” Thomas said.
Teachers, school resource officers and students in the certified nursing assistant classes are now prepared to respond to a worst-case scenario.
“It can help anybody, because things can happen in society today anywhere anytime,” said Amaya Green, a senior certified nursing assistant. “You know you could be at home, you could be at the mall, you could be at the movie theater you know school. Things aren’t quite as safe as you think they are and you never see what’s coming so it’s important to be prepared.”
In addition to teaching the Stop the Bleed course, Thomas was able to secure a grant to provide the high school with 8 bleeding control kits containing gauze, tourniquets and other supplies.
About the Author
Jessica Davis is the Associate Content Editor for 1105 Media.