What it means
A soft elastic band is used briefly to make veins stand out for drawing blood or starting an IV. A strong, windlass-type tourniquet stops life-threatening bleeding from a limb. In surgery, an inflatable cuff keeps blood out of the area being operated on.
For the nurse
For blood draws and IV starts, leave the band on no longer than about 1 minute and release it before pulling out the needle. For severe limb bleeding, place an emergency tourniquet a few inches above the wound (not over a joint), tighten until the bleeding stops, and write down the time it was applied.
Related terms
hemorrhage
A large loss of blood from a blood vessel, inside the body or out of it.