A nurse in an emergency department is caring for a client who is actively bleeding from a stab wound to the thigh. Which of the following actions should the nurse take?

A. Apply a transparent dressing to the wound. Transparent dressings are not appropriate for active bleeding as they are too thin and do not absorb blood or provide compression to control hemorrhage. B. Irrigate the wound with sterile water. Wound irrigation is not a priority when a client is actively bleeding. Controlling the bleeding takes precedence over cleaning the wound. C. Apply direct pressure to the wound with thick dressing material. Direct pressure is the first-line intervention to control external bleeding. Applying firm pressure with a thick dressing helps compress the blood vessels and minimize blood loss. D. Tie a tourniquet around the leg distal to the wound. A tourniquet should be applied proximal (above) the wound if needed and only after direct pressure fails to control the bleeding. Applying it distal is ineffective and potentially harmful.