What should you NOT do when applying a tourniquet?

When applying a tourniquet, it is crucial to understand the proper techniques and actions that ensure effectiveness in controlling severe bleeding.

Loosening or removing a tourniquet after application can lead to a resurgence of bleeding, which can be life-threatening. Once a tourniquet is applied, it should remain in place until medical professionals can take over.

Applying a tourniquet below the injury site is another critical mistake. A tourniquet should always be placed above the site of bleeding to effectively occlude the blood flow and prevent further blood loss.

Positioning it around a joint is also incorrect because the tourniquet needs to be placed on a limb directly over the muscle, not around a joint where it may not compress the arteries adequately.

Each of these actions undermines the purpose of using a tourniquet, which is to save a life by controlling bleeding. Thus, all these practices are inappropriate when applying a tourniquet, making the option that encompasses all these errors the correct answer.