First Aid Kit: Stock supplies that can save lives

Accidents can take place when you least expect them, so being prepared is crucial.

Therefore, a well-stocked First Aid Kit may help you efficiently respond to common injuries and situations. In an emergency, you may need to respond quickly, so be familiar with your First Aid Kit and understand how to use it to treat various injuries.

What is a First Aid Kit?

A First Aid Kit refers to a collection of medical supplies intended to help stabilise a sick or injured person until they can be treated by a trained healthcare provider such as a nurse, paramedic, or doctor. These emergency supplies can also be used to treat minor illnesses or injuries that do not require sophisticated medical care, such as dyspepsia, headaches, minor scrapes, cuts, burns, bruises, sprains, and bug stings.

Personal protective equipment, medicines, healthcare equipment, emergency supplies, and basic necessities are also included. The set is designed to address several types of situations that may occur at home, at work, or anywhere else outside. First Aid Kits can be found in places such as offices/workplaces, childcare centres, etc.

What should be kept in a First Aid Kit?

While there is no set rule for what every First Aid Kit should have, the following basic components are considered necessary. 

1. Sterile dressings

Any First Aid Kit should have a variety of dressings. After all, cuts, grazes, burns, and other skin wounds are among the most frequently occurring reasons people go for their First Aid Kit.

• Plasters: These are used to treat minor scratches and cuts. There are also special gel plasters available to treat blisters. It should also include waterproof and fabric plasters.

• Dressings: These are used when the wound or injured area is too big for a plaster to cover. They help absorb and prevent bleeding by exerting pressure on a wound while also preventing infection. Dressing pads attached to a bandage are quite useful to have in First Aid Kits since the bandage keeps the dressing part intact. Eye dressings are specially intended to cover an injured eye.

2. Bandages

There are several types of bandages that can be included in a First Aid Kit. After dressings, bandages are the second most used item in a First Aid box.

• Roll bandages: Roll bandages are useful to retain bandages in place and help apply additional pressure to wounds until medical care arrives. These are used to support a joint in the event of a sprain or break, as well as to reduce swelling. 

• Triangular bandages: A triangular shape bandage is simply a triangular piece of cloth. They can be folded to form a bandage, but they are most commonly used as a sling when an arm or shoulder is broken. They can also be used as a big dressing for burns or other wounds if wrapped in sterile packing.

• Tubular bandages: They are most commonly used for cushioning injured joints such as wrists, elbows, knees, and ankles. They are elasticated and usually come on a roll that may be trimmed to size.

3. Medications and creams

While it is not possible to carry all the medications inside a First Aid Kit, carrying some basic and important medications is crucial.

• Painkillers: Pain relievers are helpful, but they should be administered with prudence. 

• Wound cleansing wipes: These are required for cleaning a wound prior to treating it. Alcohol-free wipes are preferable because they do not sting when applied.

• Antiseptic creams: After cleaning wounds and grazes with a wound cleansing wipe, antiseptic creams are a suitable option for putting on them.

• Antihistamine medicine: These are available in pill, liquid, and ointment forms. An antihistamine lotion relieves the itching and redness caused by allergies or insect stings. However, as with pain relievers, it is critical to obtain permission before giving any tablets or liquid medication to individuals, particularly children.

• Bite and sting relief cream: This is an excellent addition to any First Aid Kit, especially during the summer when bug bites and stings are more common. They function by minimising the impact of the bite or sting as well as treating symptoms like itching and pain.

• Rash creams or lotions: There are numerous creams and lotions available for various rashes. For example, calendula cream is an excellent choice for a general rash and camomile lotion is reported to be beneficial against chickenpox.

• Eye bath and eyewash: Because eyes can be difficult to deal with, an eye rinse and eye bath can deal with eye injuries much easier.

4. Protective items

We should be more conscious of the risks involved in close contact with another person, particularly when body fluids and open wounds are involved. Therefore, any decent First Aid Kit should include some protective materials to prevent contamination or infection in the First Aider. These protective materials should contain the following.

• Disposable face masks: These are useful to use while treating someone using a First Aid Kit to reduce the danger of infection, whether the person receiving medical care or the person doing the first aid.

• Disposable apron: In the event of significant bleeding, vomiting, or infection, disposable aprons protect the person delivering first aid.

• Face shields: They offer some protection from airborne infections, especially when paired with a face mask.

• Disposable gloves: Gloves are necessary for both the victim and the First-aider because they protect the First-aider from contamination of wounds or bodily fluids.

5. Tools and other equipment

The following items in a First Aid Box can help significantly in the administration of First Aid.

• Scissors: Scissors are required for cutting bandages or dressings to the size of an injury.

• Tweezers: Tweezers are useful for removing bug stings, tics, and splinters.

• Safety pins: Safety pins have many applications, but in a First Aid Box, they are most commonly used for fixing bandages or slings.

• Adhesive tape: To secure bandages or dressings and keep them in place.

• Foil blankets: For those who are injured or ill, foil blankets aid in maintaining their body temperature. This is especially critical if the person is outside on a chilly day or in an area with low temperatures. Many people who are seriously injured or ill can keep their body temperature stable with foil blankets while receiving First Aid treatment.

• Digital thermometer: In many cases, a fever is an indication of an infection. Digital thermometers are ideal since they provide quick and precise readings and can be easily sterilised.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some frequently asked questions about First Aid Kit supplies.

Should I keep a First Aid Manual in my kit?

While you may not have time to read a first aid handbook in an emergency, it is always a good idea to keep basic guidelines and instructions on hand in case you need to double-check anything.

What should be stocked in a First Aid Kit?

The basic items to be kept in a First Aid Kit are as follows.

• Different sizes of sterile gauze dressings

• Blister plasters come in a variety of shapes and sizes

• Sticking plasters of various shapes and sizes

• Triangular bandages and crepe bandages

• Sterile eye dressings

• Alcohol-free wipes

• Sterile disposable gloves

• Cream for insect bites and stings

• Cream for rashes, such as calendula cream

• Antiseptic cream

• Antihistamine medication or cream

• Pain relievers such as paracetamol and ibuprofen

• Safety pins and tweezers

• Scissors and adhesive tape

• Eyewash and bath

• Face masks and/or protective shields

• A disposable protective apron

• Digital thermometer

Can a First Aid Kit save a life?

A fully equipped First Aid Kit may help you respond effectively to common wounds and illnesses. These kits are a simple way to ensure that no matter where we are, we have access to materials that can help save someone's life or prevent an injury from deteriorating.

Sources

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5523093/#:~:text=A%20first%20aid%20kit%20contains,the%20contents%20may%20vary%20widely.

Disclaimer: The content on this page is generic and shared only for informational and explanatory purposes. Please consult a doctor before making any health-related decisions.

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