How it's Made: First-Aid Edition

 
Everyone has seen the premade first-aid kits that you usually keep in your car, classroom, or in your home, or workplace.  I don't know about you, but the first thing I think about in a first-aid kit is bandaids.  While there should definitely be bandaids, there are many other supplies that should be stocked in this box of vital goodies...  



What These Kits Usually Contain... 

What Else Should I Add to My Kit?

Most pre-packaged first-aid kits contain bandaids, bandage wraps, gauze, and hand sanitizer.  They can sometimes have an antibiotic ointment, icepacks, or gloves but they do not always contain aspirin, Benadryl (Diphenhydramine), Dramamine (Dimenhydrinate), saline solution, hydrogen peroxide, scissors, tweezers, alcohol wipes, essential hygiene items, soap and masks (now more important due to COVID-19 pandemic).  These kit additives could be useful in many emergencies.

It is also recommended to keep a can opener and non-perishable foods in first aid kits in preparation for disasters (Eskandari & Dehghani, 2021).  But, this blog is going to focus on the medical aspects of these life-saving kits.


General Things to Include in Kits:

Items that are Important? Why Have These? 
Let's Break It Down...

OTC Medication/Topical Solutions:

  • Aspirin: This is important not only for relieving acute and chronic pain, but it can be lifesaving when someone is having a myocardial infarction (aka a heart attack) (Aspirin (oral route) description and brand names 2022).  When having a heart attack, the person is recommended to chew the aspirin to help relieve angina (Aspirin (oral route) description and brand names 2022).
    • Be sure to check for expiration dates on all medications.
    • Aspirin usually expires in 2-3 years (Opiyo, Does aspirin expire? and why? 2021). 
  • Benadryl (Diphenhydramine): This mediation is one of the most important medications to have in a kit.  Diphenhydramine (Benadryl) can be utilized for allergies such as itchy, runny nose, rashes, and other allergic reactions (Antihistamine (oral route, parenteral route, rectal route) description and brand names 2022).  
    • Be sure to check for expiration dates on all medications.  
    • Check/replace Benadryl every 2 years because it can lose its potency (Opiyo, Does Benadryl expire? risks to know 2021).
  • Dramamine (Dimenhydrinate): We have all felt nauseous and know how awful it feels.  Keeping this in your kit and utilizing it after you have tried ginger ale or focusing on the horizon in the car or on a boat and it did not work, can be of great use (Motion sickness: First aid 2020).  Keeping this OTC medication in the kit for cruises, boats, planes, and car rides can really be beneficial for those who suffer from motion sickness.  It is most beneficial to take 30-60 minutes prior to these activities (Motion sickness: First aid 2020).
    • Be sure to check for expiration dates on all medications.
  • Saline Solution: Saline solution is a great alternative if running tap water is not available.  This is an easy and sterile way to rinse and cleanse wounds immediately.  Research shows that there is almost no difference in the use of tap water versus saline solution in wound irrigation, (Valente et al., 2003).  But, it is portable and it is great for emergency use.  It can also be used in the eyes to rinse or flush out the eyes in case of a foreign body in the eye. 
    • Be sure to check the expiration date; sealed normal saline will last up to 24 months, but once opened, only lasts 24 hours (Opiyo, Does normal saline expire? 2021).
  • Hydrogen Peroxide: Hydrogen peroxide is used as a disinfectant for many things, such as wounds, skin, as well as equipment (McDonnell, 2014).  It is a broad-spectrum antimicrobial (McDonnell, 2014).  This means it kills and inhibits a wide variety of bacteria from growing and living on surfaces.  This can be very helpful in many wound emergencies to quickly disinfect or when a tool may be needed for a wound that needs to be disinfected immediately. 
    • Be sure to check the expiration date; Unopened it can last up to 36 months, once opened it expires in 30-45 days (Opiyo, Why hydrogen peroxide expires 2021).

Tools/Equipment:

  • Scissors: This is something that all kids should have.  In my house sometimes I can't find the scissors and I do not think many people keep scissors in their car or maybe even workplace normally, so in the case of an emergency you knew exactly where they are... In the first aid kit...  Therefore, keeping a pair of scissors, whether they are bandage scissors or just old fashion scissors, can be of great use.  For example, they can be used to cut off clothing from a burn victim because clothing retains heat and can continue to burn the skin (Hudspith & Rayatt, 2004).  The dead skin from the burn can be removed with sterile scissors (use alcohol wipes or hydrogen peroxide to sterilize scissors) (Hudspith & Rayatt, 2004).  They can also be used to cut clothing off of someone who needs CPR.  
  • Tweezers: Tweezers are not only used to pluck eyebrows and splinters...  For use in case of emergency, they should be sanitized FIRST with alcohol (isopropyl) and then can be used for removing debris and dirt from wounds (Ambardekar, 2021).  
  • (Isopropyl) Alcohol and Alcohol Wipes: Isopropyl alcohol is useful for the sanitization of tools and hands in the case of emergency (Chemical disinfectants 2016).  Isopropyl alcohol has bactericidal properties and is tuberculocidal, fungicidal, and even virucidal (Chemical disinfectants 2016).  Therefore, it can be very useful in emergencies of caring for open wounds to prevent infection or contamination. 
    • Be sure to check the expiration date on alcohol and wipes; Unopened isopropyl alcohol can last up to 3 years, but opened will expire faster due to the evaporation of alcohol and leaves water behind- you can check it by smelling it- if no smell is present, then it is completely evaporated (Opiyo, Does rubbing alcohol expire? 2021).
  • Soap: Antibacterial soap can be used to clean burns and other injuries to prevent infection and remove debris from the area of injury (Hudspith & Rayatt, 2004).  Soap can also be used for cuts and other injuries that involve a break in the skin.





Citations

Ambardekar, N. (2021). How should I clean a wound? WebMD. Retrieved April 8, 2022, from https://www.webmd.com/first-aid/relieving-wound-pain

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2016, September 18). Chemical disinfectants. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved April 8, 2022, from https://www.cdc.gov/infectioncontrol/guidelines/disinfection/disinfection-methods/chemical.html

Eskandari, Z., & Dehghani, A. (2021, September 10). Frequent occurrence of pandemics: The need to change the family emergency kit and first aid kits of the DAVAAM Group. Health in Emergencies and Disasters Quarterly. Retrieved April 7, 2022, from http://hdq.uswr.ac.ir/browse.php?a_id=384&slc_lang=en&sid=1&ftxt=1&html=1

Hudspith, J., & Rayatt, S. (2004, June 17). First aid and treatment of minor Burns. The BMJ. Retrieved April 8, 2022, from https://www.bmj.com/content/328/7454/1487.short?casa_token=DIW4LbR-b8IAAAAA%3A55ppE3ZICI4AMd_mce3XfVheAhMygPEjOAv9zTqtLO19xRg0Zx_LbhWvT2-R7eKJ8pi9hqxdY4Iq

Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. (2020, October 14). Motion sickness: First aid. Mayo Clinic. Retrieved April 7, 2022, from https://www.mayoclinic.org/first-aid/first-aid-motion-sickness/basics/art-20056697

Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. (2022, March 1). Antihistamine (oral route, parenteral route, rectal route) description and brand names. Mayo Clinic. Retrieved April 7, 2022, from https://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements/antihistamine-oral-route-parenteral-route-rectal-route/description/drg-20070373

Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. (2022, March 1). Aspirin (oral route) description and brand names. Mayo Clinic. Retrieved April 7, 2022, from https://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements/aspirin-oral-route/description/drg-20152665

McDonnell, G. (2014). The use of hydrogen peroxide for ... - Wiley Online Library. Wiley Online Library. Retrieved April 8, 2022, from https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/9780470682531.pat0885

Opiyo, M. (2021, November 26). Why hydrogen peroxide expires. ShelfLifeTips.com. Retrieved April 8, 2022, from https://www.shelflifetips.com/why-hydrogen-peroxide-expires/

Opiyo, M. (2021, October 19). Does Benadryl expire? risks to know. ShelfLifeTips.com. Retrieved April 8, 2022, from https://www.shelflifetips.com/does-benadryl-expire-risks-to-know/

Opiyo, M. (2021, October 19). Does rubbing alcohol expire? ShelfLifeTips.com. Retrieved April 8, 2022, from https://www.shelflifetips.com/does-rubbing-alcohol-expire/

Opiyo, M. (2021, October 29). Does aspirin expire? and why? ShelfLifeTips.com. Retrieved April 8, 2022, from https://www.shelflifetips.com/does-aspirin-expire/

Opiyo, M. (2021, September 30). Does normal saline expire? ShelfLifeTips.com. Retrieved April 8, 2022, from https://www.shelflifetips.com/normal-saline-expires/

Valente, J. H., Forti, R. J., Freundlich, L. F., Zandieh, S. O., & Crain, E. F. (2003, June 24). Wound irrigation in children: Saline solution or tap water? Annals of Emergency Medicine. Retrieved April 8, 2022, from https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0196064403000878?casa_token=0xO1V8dZSo8AAAAA%3AcO2_2a9SlRP3ABvgRFLghKhQ7lSEp7dMGdwqfXRRiI1OvMAKPe1OxPR6Lco4LyA7WBVvYr-idL0

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