Dressings and materials.

You check a fictional first aid kit. Dressing pads, plasters, gauze bandages and disposable gloves are ready.

What the materials do

Disposable gloves provide self-protection. A sterile dressing pad covers a wound; a gauze bandage can hold the pad in place. A plaster protects suitable small wounds. Avoid touching the wound-facing side of a sterile pad if possible. Material is useful only when accessible, complete and still usable.

Key point: Covering, fixing and self-protection are different tasks.

Secure a dressing safely

A bandage should hold the dressing and must not constrict unnecessarily. Watch for increasing pain, numbness or discoloured fingers. These signs need correction and medical help if necessary. A paper model is enough for this unit: secure a paper pad with two strips of adhesive tape, without wrapping anyone.

Key point: Do not try a tight bandage on a partner.

Limits of minor self-care

Deep or gaping wounds, bites, heavy contamination and ongoing bleeding need medical assessment. Tetanus protection is also checked medically. Do not rub a foreign body out of the eye or remove it with tools. Seek help for heavy or persistent nosebleeds; tilt the head forward rather than letting blood run into the throat.

Key point: Looking small does not automatically mean harmless.

Decide and check for yourself.

Five questions: Dressings and materials.

One answer per question. You get an immediate explanation and may retry as often as you like. Answers last only until reload; optionally, test completion is saved on this device.