Whether at home or out in public, knowing how to control bleeding can make a life-or-death difference when the need arises. As the American College of Surgeons (ACS) and the trauma community celebrated May’s national STOP THE BLEED® Month and the May 19 STOP THE BLEED® Day, the program reached a significant milestone—more than 2 million individuals have learned the essentials of bleeding control through in-person courses, online sessions, and the STOP THE BLEED® interactive course.
The ACS worked to increase these numbers significantly during STOP THE BLEED® Month, with increased outreach and more training sessions across the country.
“Every day, we are showing how STOP THE BLEED® can save lives across the globe. From Chicago to Ukraine, anyone who is equipped with this knowledge can jump into action when needed,” said ACS Executive Director Patricia L. Turner, MD, MBA, FACS.
A new online interactive course, available at stopthebleed.org/training/online-course/, gives participants the knowledge they need to complete the lecture portion of the course. Participants still are required to complete the skills portion of the training prior to receiving their certificate of completion.
In addition to new training opportunities, more people from a variety of backgrounds and training are able to become STOP THE BLEED® course instructors. Now, many categories of nonmedical professionals are eligible to become STOP THE BLEED® instructors and share this vital information with their communities.
Efforts for Ukraine
STOP THE BLEED® has taken on particular importance recently since the start of the war in Ukraine. The ACS is supporting education efforts to ensure citizens of Ukraine know the basics of bleeding control so that they can implement these lifesaving techniques when needed.
Roxolana Horbowyj, MD, FACS, is conducting frequent online courses in Ukrainian via Zoom to educate people on the ground. Additionally, actors who play physicians on New Amsterdam and Good Sam promoted STOP THE BLEED® in a public service announcement, featuring Ukrainian subtitles, to bring this important information to the people of Ukraine.
At the City Level
In early March, the City of Chicago announced, as part of the Safe Chicago initiative, the installation of more than 550 STOP THE BLEED® kits around the city, along with new training opportunities for municipal employees and the public. Initiatives such as this will help provide city-wide access to these skills and materials so that lives can be saved in a bleeding emergency.
“Our partnership with the City of Chicago is a model for other communities,” Dr. Turner said. “We want to expand these efforts in cities and towns across the country so that these life-saving kits are easily accessible in more public places.”
Learn more on the STOP THE BLEED® website at stopthebleed.org.
