During a blood sweep, which areas are checked?

• A. Neck, axillary, inguinal, and extremities
• B. Head, chest, abdomen, and back
• C. Forehead, cheeks, nose, lips
• D. Shoulders, elbows, wrists, fingers

Answer: (A)

During a blood sweep, the aim is to quickly locate external bleeding in the parts of the body where major vessels run close to the surface and where bleeding can be rapidly controlled. Checking the neck, the armpit area, the groin, and the limbs covers the regions with large arteries (like the carotid in the neck, axillary and femoral in the arms and legs) that are most likely to produce life‑threatening hemorrhage and are accessible for immediate measures such as direct pressure or tourniquet application. This quick scan helps determine if there is a bleeding source that needs urgent control, since areas outside these regions are either harder to manage quickly in the field or less likely to yield rapid, controllable bleeding.