Sierra Samaritans - National Ski Patrol

❚ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 63
❚ Each proximal wrap moves further
up the limb, and each distal wrap
reinforces it.
As you progress, you will note that the
bandage forms an elegant interlocking
pattern. Be sure that every wrap angles
either proximal or distal. If some wraps go
straight across and around the limb, the
bandage will be irregular and less secure.
figure 2
Figure Eight Wrap
ILLUSTRATIONS BY EVELYN SINCLAIR
Finger Bandages
Be sure to remove any rings, watches, or
bracelets before applying a finger or hand
bandage (and preferably before swelling
makes removal difficult). Then put them
with the other personal property that will
go with the patient to the hospital.
To make sure a finger bandage stays
on, always anchor it to the wrist and go
across the back of the hand when running
the wrap from the wrist to the finger
(fig. 3). This method has two advantages:
It ensures that flexing the hand will tighten
(not loosen) the bandage, and it keeps the
bandage out of the way in case the patient
has to use the hand. The direction in
which you wrap the wrist depends on
which finger you are bandaging because
you should go diagonally across the hand
to the finger, not straight up, to keep the
wrist anchor secure. So, for a bandage of
the ring or little finger, cross the back of
the hand from the radial to the ulnar side
of the wrist, and for a bandage of the
thumb, index, or middle finger, cross from
the ulnar to the radial side.
❚ Apply a dressing to the wound and
ask the patient to hold it with the
adjacent finger.
❚ Anchor the bandage at the wrist,
leaving one corner out then folding it
over and locking it down with a subsequent
wrap around the wrist.
❚ Unroll the bandage to the base of the
finger, ask the patient to fan out the
fingers while you hold the dressing to
the injury, then secure the dressing
with a spiral wrap, moving up toward
the tip of the finger.
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❚
❚
❚
❚
From the finger tip, spiral back to the
base of the finger.
If you need to cover the finger tip,
do some up and down wraps from
the base over the finger tip and back
to the base.
Secure the up and down wraps with
more spiral wraps.
From the base of the finger extend
the bandage back to the wrist, this
time stretching the bandage to the
opposite side than you started on,
and secure it with a bow or knot.
You can bandage several adjacent
fingers with the same gauze roller,
provided the dressings separate the
injured fingers.
Hand Bandages
A hand bandage, like a finger bandage,
should be both started and finished at the
wrist (fig. 4.) This will anchor it securely,
while allowing the patient to use the hand
if necessary, e.g., in a self-evacuation from
the wilderness. The figure-eight wrap with
a gauze roller works for holding a dressing
on either the palm or the back of the hand.
❚ After anchoring the bandage at the
wrist, wrap alternately around the
distal and proximal side of the
thumb, overlapping to cover most
of the dressing.
❚ Fold the end or corner of the dressing
over and lock it down with the
next wrap.
64 Ski Patrol Magazine | Winter 2005