Nurses First Aid Kits

[Mistify]

This is cross posted with the polls forum. I would like to hear what other nurses/healthcare workers have in their first aid /medical kits at home/car/emergecy preparedness/etc. I have been trying to make a good basic list of supplies and usage, any suggestions? And do you have more than one kit for different uses? Do you think that most commercial first aid kits actually are useful for basic first aid? Thanks!!

[TazziRN, RN]

Most commercial kits are nothing but bandaids and cold packs. We have one in each vehicle, packed with cold packs, eye wash, abx ointment, ace wraps, slings, sanitary pads for the ladies, gauze......more but I can't remember right now. We use small backpacks as the kits.

[htrn]

Gloves, alcohol wipes, 2X2's, 4X4's, Abd drsg, 4" guaze rolls, 2 250ml bottles of NS, instant ice packs, steri strips, several rolls of different types of tape and benzoine + the bandaids and ointments. I also have bandage scissors, tweezers and hemostats (the small ones).

I keep it in a canvas tackle box in the back of my vehicle. I put it together the day after I came across a rolled logging truck in the middle of no where. It has come in quite handy for one of my children that seems to think stitches are a quarterly requirement.

[neneRN, BSN, RN]

I think I have some bandaids and neosporin in the bathroom cupboard...guess I'm a minimalist!

[mandana]

I never kept one until I found myself in a situation where I needed one desperately to help someone and didn't have one!

Now I keep a commercial first aid kit (just the basics) but I added lots of gloves, a couple ABD pads, larger sterile gauze pads, tape, and a face shield for mouth-to-mouth.

Of course, I haven't needed it since the original incident, but it really sucked not being able to do much in an emergency situation.

Amanda

[General E. Speaking, RN, RN]

Occasionally I can find a some of the leftover bandaids and 2x2s from my pockets:imbar

[Cmariehart]

My started off with a commercial kit and has expanded since to include:

benadryl tabs

motrin

midol

tylenol rapid release tabs

neosporin

benadryl crm

sun block

burn cream

aloe

2 bottle of water

a wide range of 2x2, 4x4, abd pads and bandages

ace wraps

scissors

pen

paper

and the list goes on................

[rclimbr]

Check out the Red Cross website. The kits the sell are just like the other junk ones( Band-Aids and wipes) but they do have a preparedness list for disasters that is fairly complete. I keep a good kit in my car and one thing that you want to keep handy it a reflective vest. First time you jump out of the car at midnight for a MVA and you are wearing dark colored scrubs you will be glad you have it.

[Mistify]

Thanks for the replies. I have small kits in both cars and a larger one for emergency preparedness. So far I seem to have most of the items listed, I just wanted to make sure I didn't leave anything important out. I have looked at the commercial kits and think they are a joke but didn't know if anyone else had a source for good basic kits.

[tgb3rn]

I kinda tend to go overkill on things. I bought a military spec. ops. kit off EBAY, it has airways, sutchers, the works... $160.00. But in my defense, we go camping out in the middle of NOWHERE. Me, the wife, 3 kids and about 75+ miles to the nearest little town with an ER.

Tom