Article: Before working on someone, it's important to wash your hands if possible. That way, you won't introduce infection to the wound. Also, put on medical gloves if they are available.  Gloves will protect both you and the person you're caring for from bloodborne illnesses including HIV and viral hepatitis. If gloves are not available, substitute plastic bags or some other impermeable material. You can also use many layers of clean cloth or another clean material. In this case, instead of putting pressure on the wound yourself, ask the injured person to to do so. Only use your bare hands if it is a serious, dire medical emergency. Don't risk your health!   Wash your hands for at least 20 seconds in warm water with soap. Scrub them thoroughly. If soap and water are not available, an alcohol-based sanitizer can be used instead. A minor cut by definition should stop bleeding on its own fairly quickly. The body's response is to clot the wound, and with a small cut, it should stop bleeding fairly quickly.  Often abdominal and chest wounds are more serious than they look. You should always have these checked out by a professional. Mild bleeding can be a serious situation if the person is on a blood thinner, or it is a puncture wound. Mild bleeding should only affect the top layers of the skin. You should not be able to see organs underneath, for instance, and the wound should not be gushing or have a pulsating flow — these things indicate a medical emergency and you should call 991 immediately. Mild cuts should "ooze," meaning bleed slowly. If it hasn't stopped bleeding in a minute or two, apply pressure to the wound. Place a clean cloth or sterile bandage over the cut. Hold it in place with your hand, applying steady and light pressure for a full 15 minutes. If the bandage soaks through, do not lift it up. Instead, apply an additional bandage on top of the first. Again, if you do not have gloves or some type of protective barrier on your hands, ask the person to apply pressure to her wound by holding the bandaging in place. If it still doesn't stop, try elevating the wound. Elevating the wound just means to get it above the person's heart. That way, blood has to travel against gravity to get to the wound. This lessens the amount of blood at the site, making it easier for the body to stop the bleeding.  If you think the person may have a broken bone near the cut, you don't want to move that part of the body, as it can make the fracture and surrounding structure worse. You may need to skip this step if you think that's a possibility. If it simply won't stop bleeding, even if it's minor, call 911 or visit an emergency room.
What is a summary of what this article is about?
Wash your hands. Look to see if it has stopped bleeding. Apply pressure if it doesn't stop bleeding. Elevate the wound.