When applying a regular sling for an arm injury, which action should be performed first?

• A. Have person hold injured arm across body with fingers touching armpit
• B. Check circulation by comparing warmth & color of fingers on both hands
• C. Slide open triangular bandage between injured arm and body
• D. Place bottom edge of bandage over opposite shoulder

Answer: (B)

Before immobilizing the injured arm, you want to quickly confirm that blood is still getting to the hand. Checking circulation by comparing the warmth and color of the fingers on both hands gives you a baseline and helps detect any signs of compromised blood flow before you set the arm in a sling. If the fingers look or feel cooler, paler, or bluish, you’d want to reassess and possibly adjust later rather than assume circulation is fine.

Once you’ve confirmed circulation, you can proceed with the sling by placing the triangular bandage under the arm and between the arm and body to create a cradle, then bring the ends around the neck, tying behind the neck so the elbow sits supported and the bottom edge of the bandage rests on the opposite shoulder. This arrangement helps keep the arm close to the body without compressing the area above the elbow. After securing, re-check circulation to ensure it remains adequate.