First aid: cuts and scrapes
Stop the bleeding, clean it, cover it.
Call 911 if
- Blood is spurting or soaking through
- The person feels faint or is very pale
What to do
- Wash your hands and put on gloves.
- Press on it with gauze until the bleeding stops, a few minutes.
- Rinse under clean running water. Skip peroxide and iodine.
- Add a thin layer of antibiotic ointment, then a bandage. Change it daily.
See a doctor or urgent care if
- Bleeding won't stop after 10 minutes of pressure
- It's deep, gaping, or has dirt you can't rinse out
- It gets redder, warmer, more painful or starts draining
- It's a dirty wound and the last tetanus shot was over 5 years ago
In every Nurse in a Box kit: gloves, gauze pads, antiseptic wipes, antibiotic ointment, bandages and wound-closure strips, with a registered nurse a tap away if you're not sure what to do.
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General first aid information based on guidance from the American Red Cross, Mayo Clinic, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the CDC. It isn't medical advice and doesn't replace care from a nurse or doctor.