In an emergency situation you may need to act quickly. The last thing you need is to be scrabbling around trying to find first aid equipment in an unfamiliar house.

Unfortunately, many homes that live-in carers are placed at do not have up to date first aid kits. In fact, in some homes the most basic items are old sticking plasters, not good for anything other than throwing away.

Different first aid kits

The common denominator is that first aid kits are normally found in green boxes with a white cross on them, and these are easy to buy when you start to assemble your kit.

There are two different first aid kit boxes, namely for the workplace and for the car. You should assemble the kit according to where you will be using it, although there are some things that are useful in either kit.

What should be included?

Wound dressings

This includes the following selection:

• Sterile wound dressings
• Sterile eye pad
• Sterile pad
• Waterproof plasters
• Fabric plasters

Adhesive dressings

These are useful for small cuts and grazes. Remember that if you work with food, you will need to use blue plasters. Gel blister plasters are useful to protect blisters.

• Clear plasters
• Blue plasters
• Gel blister plasters

Bandages

Roller bandages are useful to support an injured joint or maintain pressure on a wound. They come in different types, namely:

• Support roller bandages
• Open weave roller bandages
• Self adhesive bandage

Triangle bandages

These are normally made of cloth and are used as slings. If they are wrapped as individual pieces they can also be used as dressings for larger wounds.

Tubular bandages

These are useful for securing dressings on places like fingers, toes or knees and they are also used to support elbows and knees.

Protective items

Disposable gloves 

Latex free is best as some people are allergic to latex. You should wear gloves whenever you dress a wound or handle bodily fluids.

Face mask or shield

These can help to protect from cross infection. Mask or shield is a personal choice as both will do the job.

Additional things to add to the kit

• Cleaning wipes so that you can clean the area around a wound
• Gauze pads which can be used as padding or as swabs
• Adhesive tape to hold dressings in place or secure the end of a bandage 
• Scissors to cut bandages or even clothing if you need to have access to a wound
• Clips and pins to fasten the ends of bandages 
• Aluminium blanket in case you need to keep a person warm

Final thoughts

It does not cost an arm and a leg to assemble a decent first aid kit. Certainly it is better to have one at hand rather than find you need dressings and do not have any. 

With a little forethought you can add any other items that you feel you will use in your particular environment, and so save a lot of confusion and stress should an incident happen. 

 

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