USU's Dr. Craig Goolsby demonstrates how to use a tourniquet for high school students at a 2019 conference in Orlando, Florida. Goolsby has researched effective teaching methods as part of a grant to develop a trauma first-aid course for students that incorporates elements of Stop the Bleed (Photo by: Sarah Marshall, USU).

FAST is also designed to be empowering, and straightforward. High school students will learn how to recognize that a bleeding emergency exists, and what action to take, i.e. applying pressure or using a tourniquet, while keeping safe in an emergency or violent situation. It also teaches them how to communicate with others at the scene and with emergency dispatchers.

It's really beneficial to reach this population of student because they can influence others in understanding these lessons, Goolsby added.

"There are willing learners at all ages, but children in particular are highly willing to learn and highly susceptible to learning new lessons," he said.

Another advantage of teaching high school students is not having to overcome incorrect information that has been imparted on them. For example, previous generations might remember being taught to never use a tourniquet for any reason, but it's now known that's not correct. High schoolers, on the other hand, likely haven't heard that before, and don't have to overcome that negative lesson.

"We also know that by teaching young people, there tends to be a multiplier effect," Goolsby said. "They go home and tell their parents what they learned, as well as their friends and others. Teaching one high school student can result in more than one person learning important lessons through this sharing process."

While Goolsby emphasizes that preventing injuries is critically important, accidents will continue to occur and people need to know how to respond. He envisions a world in which people know how to save lives by stopping life-threatening bleeding.

The integration of technology, such as the “Stop the Bleed” app can help teach average citizens how to control severe blood loss in a mass trauma event. The app was developed by the Uniformed Services University's National Center for Disaster Medicine and Public Health (Photo by: Sarah Marshall, USU).

"Combining widespread education with access to effective tools (like tourniquets), is the best way to reach our goal," he said.

Goolsby said his interest in this area piqued after serving two tours in Iraq as an Air Force emergency physician, treating injured service members on the battlefield. Many of those who came into his care were badly wounded, but yet they were alive.

Despite being in an austere, hostile environment, these service members were being kept alive because their fellow troops knew how to take action to stop bleeding thanks to the military's Tactical Combat Casualty Care training. These life-saving lessons were brought from the battlefield and are now being applied to the next generation in this country.

"It's very rewarding to share simple lessons that can directly impact people's lives," Goolsby said. "If people can use these lessons to save lives, that's just awesome."

For more information on Stop the Bleed, visit: https://stopthebleed.usuhs.edu/

For information on the FAST program, visit: https://www.dhs.gov/science-and-technology/first-aid-severe-trauma

For more on Health Innovation during July, please visit: www.health.mil/HealthInnovation