What should you do if a child complains the tourniquet hurts while it's being applied?

When a child complains that a tourniquet hurts while it's being applied, reassuring them and continuing to tighten it is the appropriate course of action because the primary purpose of a tourniquet is to control severe bleeding, which can be life-threatening. If a tourniquet is needed, it is crucial to maintain sufficient pressure to effectively stop blood flow to prevent further blood loss.

Feeling discomfort is common as the tourniquet is designed to apply significant pressure to occlude blood vessels. However, it is essential to communicate with the child, provide reassurance, and explain the reason for the tourniquet. Understanding that it is a necessary procedure can help alleviate some of their anxiety.

While other choices might seem compassionate in concern for the child's immediate comfort, they do not effectively address the medical situation at hand. Distracting the child may not resolve the underlying issue of stopping the bleeding. Removing the tourniquet could lead to a critical loss of blood, and loosening it would also risk undoing the control of severe hemorrhage. Therefore, it's vital to balance the child’s comfort with the necessity of effective bleeding control.