How to apply a compression bandage
Other platforms explain it with text and video. In VMS you practice it on the patient.
Compression reduces swelling but can harm if too tight or used with poor arterial flow.
Step by step
Check first
Pulses, color, sensation; ask about arterial disease. [1]
Position
Limb raised, foot at 90 degrees for the leg. [1]
Wrap
From toes or fingers upward, overlapping by half. [1]
Even tension
Firm but not tight; no wrinkles. [1]
Recheck
Circulation and comfort after wrapping and again later. [1]
Teach
Numbness, color change or pain: loosen and call. [1]
Common errors
- Starting above the ankle.
- Too tight.
- Compression with arterial disease.
Practice it in VMS
In VMS you do this on the patient, not on paper: every step goes on the checklist with a score, and in Teach mode Blocky tells you what comes next.
VMS cases that train this skill
Sources
- Open RN, Nursing Skills 2e (Chippewa Valley Technical College) (CC BY 4.0)
- OpenStax, Clinical Nursing Skills (CC BY 4.0)
Steps adapted from Open RN, Nursing Skills 2e (Chippewa Valley Technical College) and OpenStax, Clinical Nursing Skills, licensed under CC BY 4.0. VMS is not affiliated with these organizations. Updated: 2026-10-11.