The importance of first aid kits cannot be overstated. In the face of an emergency, first aid can provide vital assistance to those in need by offering swift and effective relief. Thus, it is critical to comprehend the appropriate use of a first aid kit.
A well-stocked first aid kit is vital for every home, vehicle, hiking, and workplace to help you immediately respond to an emergency or in case of common injuries. You can buy a premade kit or create a customized kit. Whichever you select, make sure it has all the essentials.
What Should My First Aid Kit Contain?
The essential items required in a first aid kit are:
- A first aid manual with instructions on treating common injuries like wounds, sprains, and bites.
- A pair of tweezers to help you remove glass, splinters, etc., from wounds.
- Blunt scissors for cutting bandages.
- Alcohol swabs for cleaning and preparing wounds before applying other treatments.
- Antibiotic ointment for preventing infections.
- Adhesive bandages in several sizes to cover wounds once treated.
- Gauze bandages in various sizes for absorbing blood or covering more extensive wounds.
- Medical tape to keep gauze bandages in place.
- Elastic bandages to help keep injured joints immobile.
- Examination gloves, medical face mask, and CPR mask for your protection when treating others.
- You could also include anti-itch treatments, pain relievers, cold packs, gauze swabs, general allergy treatments, a thermometer, and an emergency blanket.
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When to Use the First Aid Items?
The items in your first aid kit can help you deal with several minor emergencies, but you must know when to use them.
Alcohol Swabs
Alcohol swabs contain a solution that cleans wounds and germs thanks to their antimicrobial action. Use them to sterilize wounds in any emergency to help prevent infections. Alcohol swabs also prepare the wound for applying antibiotic ointment and bandaging.
Adhesive and Gauze Bandages
Adding several adhesive and gauze bandages and their different sizes allows you to effectively treat anything from the slightest wound to covering larger areas. Therefore, when making up a kit or buying one make sure it has small and large compress bandages, elastic bandages, gauze bandages, and several sizes of adhesive bandages.
When adding adhesive bandages, the most common size is the traditional strip ones, so always ensure that you have extras.
Ensure consistent pressure when applying gauze bandages to wounds to hold a dressing in place or support an injured limb. For example, you can use gauge bandages to create a sling or to stop bleeding.
CPR Mask, Medical Mask, and Examination Gloves
All these items form part of the protective equipment in a first aid kit to help protect you and the people you are assisting. Therefore, wear medical examination gloves and a medical mask for your safety wherever possible.
Additionally, use a CPR mask if you need to apply mouth-to-to-mouth resuscitation. Use CPR immediately in emergencies where you have an unresponsive person (not breathing and no pulse).
CPR guidelines state that compressions are best, but some emergencies require breaths to allow oxygen to flow through the body again. However, if you need to give mouth-to-mouth CPR to a stranger, you can prevent direct contact with a CPR face shield, allowing you to administer oxygen without endangering yourself.
Gauze Swabs
Gauze swabs are ideal for covering, cleaning, and securing wounds before bandaging. In addition, the gauze weaves stick to the blood flowing from wounds, encouraging the blood to clot and staunch bleeding.
Medical Tape
The medical tape has several purposes, including securing bandages or gauze, creating a splint, or even closing wounds when no other dressings are available. Always replace these when used up because no first aid kit should run out,
Why is it Important to Use the First Aid Contents Correctly?
Most people have to use the items in a first aid kit sometimes. Most don’t require comprehensive training, but you must know how to use them correctly to ensure you offer the best assistance to the person you are treating.
A well-stocked first aid kit can help you treat several types of injuries and alleviate common symptoms. For example, you’ll be able to treat trauma like burns, cuts, scrapes, stings, sprains, and strains and remove splinters.
When your first aid kit contains a few common medications, you can treat allergies, fever, and mild pain.
All items for a first aid kit are available from a pharmacy, so make sure that yours has everything required for treating any of the above.
Find First Aid Training Near You
If you want more comprehensive knowledge on how to help others in emergencies, then First Aid & CPR training provides you with the skills to correctly use all the items in your first aid kit and apply the correct CPR. At Coast2Coast, you can choose between two First Aid courses, depending on the training required by your workplace or your interests. In addition, Coast2Coast has suitable training centers near you in most of Ontario to help you get your certification today.
