After you control external bleeding, what is the next assessment step in soft-tissue care?

• A. Wound dressing.
• B. Distal circulation, motor, and sensory functions.
• C. Immobilize the injured area.
• D. Assess blood pressure.

Answer: (B)

After you stop the bleeding, quickly check how the injury has affected the limb’s function and perfusion. Distal circulation, motor function, and sensation tell you whether blood flow or nerve/muscle function is compromised and help guide the next steps, like immobilization or urgent transport. You’d assess aspects such as distal pulses, skin color and warmth, capillary refill, and ask the patient to move the affected joints and feel sensation (comparing to the other limb). If these functions are intact, you can proceed with dressing and any needed immobilization; if they’re impaired, you prioritise actions to protect the limb and arrange faster transport. Wound dressing is important too, but the immediate priority in soft-tissue care after bleeding control is the distal circulation, motor, and sensory assessment.