When placing a tourniquet on an arm or a leg, what is the correct placement?

The recommended placement of a tourniquet is 2 to 3 inches above the wound. This location is crucial for effectively stopping the bleeding without being placed directly over the wound, which may not provide adequate control of hemorrhage and can potentially cause further injury to the tissue.

Applying the tourniquet at the joint (such as the elbow or knee) or below the wound would be ineffective, as those placements could allow blood to continue flowing past the tourniquet, thereby failing to control the bleeding properly. Placing it directly at the wound site can also be problematic, as it may not adequately compress the blood vessels that are causing the bleeding. Thus, placing the tourniquet appropriately above the injury is vital for managing severe bleeding situations safely and effectively.