First Aid Kits

[Amish Heart]

Ours came from Walgreens, too, and we don't like the cuff ones. Makes it difficult, though, if there's a picc line in one arm and a diabetic sensor on the other, and you really don't want to mess with either, so I go for the sensor arm. We do bp, temp, ox and heart rate reader a number of times a day. It's a good idea to have equipment for all of that, and it's really not very expensive.

 

[angie_nrs]

Brand or model recommendations? It's something I've thought about, even shopped for but had no clue what I was looking at.

I just got a cheap one online. I would only suggest that you test it against a BP reading from a doctors office.....or from someone you know can obtain an accurate reading. For example, when you get a reading at your doctors office, then use your machine to get another reading right after they get one using the same arm. Those readings should be very similar. Or, if you have an arm machine that you know is accurate, you can test it against that one. I have a wrist one and it's accurate. I don't see a brand mark on it, but there are puppy teeth marks on it since it got attacked by our pup while we were gone. It still works.

For a stethescope I have a Littmann. They range in price from very affordable to very expensive. I have a couple of them that I bought when I worked in the hospital. They are widely preferred by medical staff. Most people don't really require the more expensive ones, so don't waste your money on a pricey one.

The pulse ox monitors are really cheap and provide great information. They also save time b/c they will give you a pulse measurement. During a traumatic event, it could be very difficult to get a pulse reading, espeically (if like me) you don't wear a watch. I have one of those in my bag too and it was less than $20.

 

[joel]

There are two aspects to providing first aid and medical assistance. The first is having the skills and knowledge to know how to help in an emergency. The other is having the resources you need to put those skills into effect. While being properly trained in first aid is a valuable skill that can potentially save lives, there are limits to what you can do without medical equipment and supplies. You don’t need any special equipment to perform CPR on an unconscious person. But you can’t clean and dress a wound without bandages.


Thankfully first aid kits are now a common sight in almost all workplaces, schools, and public facilities, and most households have at least basic medical supplies. Some kits will be well maintained, while others will be rarely used and largely left untouched – possibly minus a few items that got used and not replaced.

Unfortunately, many of these first aid kits will be left mostly undisturbed for years. Some workplaces might make sure that any supplies used by staff are replenished, but a question very few people ask is “are any of our first aid supplies out of date?”

How Can First Aid Supplies Expire?
If you have a quick look through your medical kit, you might be shocked to find many items with a tiny expiry date printed on the packaging. We often think of food items and perishables having use-by dates (with the possible exception of honey), but generally, we assume things like bandages, tape, and scissors have no limit on shelf life. But the reality is a little more complex than this.

Many things can limit how long the supplies in a first aid kit stay good for.

Sterility – Any first aid supplies that must be sterile when used will almost always have a use-by date. It’s assumed that the packaging will lose its integrity over time, and bacteria can get into sterile dressings and tools. Infection can be a big risk with severe wounds, often doing far more damage than the original injury. You want your materials to be as sterile as possible, so you don’t want to use stuff where the sealed packaging might not be 100% sealed anymore.
https://www.firstaidpro.com.au/blog...he best way to,years after they were produced.

 

[Pearl]

Thank you Joel!! What a super post!