What is a blood sweep?

A blood sweep refers to a visual assessment for life-threatening bleeding. This critical step in tactical combat casualty care involves quickly scanning a casualty's body for any signs of severe hemorrhage. The practitioner focuses on identifying any arterial bleeding or any gushes of blood that might indicate an immediate threat to the casualty's life.

This rapid assessment helps inform the medical provider of the necessary interventions required to control bleeding, which is one of the leading causes of preventable death in trauma situations. It allows for timely actions such as applying a tourniquet or direct pressure to the areas where bleeding is present.

While options like deep inspection of wounds, cleaning of wounds, and stabilization are important aspects of wound care and treatment, they do not specifically capture the primary function of a blood sweep, which is to identify life-threatening hemorrhages quickly and efficiently in a combat or emergency environment.