On February 29, 2024, the Critical Care Student Nurse Association (CCSNA) at the Washington State University (WSU) College of Nursing hosted their bi-annual Stop The Bleed (STB) event. The goal of the event is to educate the Spokane community about how to stop bleeding quickly and effectively in a trauma situation. The 90-minute class was aimed at teaching people how to correctly apply tourniquets and use gauze or makeshift gauze to control bleeding.
When asked about the event, WSU nursing student, Rebecca Kopper, ’24, shared “I’m so grateful we get the opportunity to take STB through this club [CCSNA] because just like CPR, knowing how to stop bleeds is an important and simple life saving skill to have. Most nursing students will graduate never having seen a major bleed, so this skill not only prepares us for our future career but also for in our personal lives when someone we know or come across gets badly injured.”
The Stop the Bleed Coalition is focused on raising awareness of how, with the proper training and materials, death from bleeding can be prevented. Mass casualty events often present with severe bleeding which, if left unattended, can quickly result in tragedy. By providing civilian bystanders with the skills and basic tools to stop uncontrolled bleeding in an emergency, lives can be saved.
Participants of the February 29, 2024 Stop the Bleed event, hosted by the WSU CCSNA 
Stop the Bleed students practicing techniques to stop blood loss in emergency scenarios.
Special thanks to Jaclyn Numata, CCRN and Trauma Coordinator at Deaconess MultiCare in Spokane, WA for facilitating the event.
About the Critical Care Student Nurse Association
The purpose of CCSNA is to present and provide information to involved student members about opportunities and experiences in critical-care nursing. The goal of the group is to foster a passion for critical care nursing and encourage furthering education across all aspects of this field.
