Rate my First Aid kit

[bryce0lynch]

I would appreciate any feedback. It's under my passenger seat of my Nissan Frontier. Yeah, I've taken a few online courses. StopTheBleed, Mountain Man Medicine, Red Cross.

Hemostatic bandages
Triangular bandages
CPR shield
2 chest seals
Glucose packs
Bandage scissors
Thermometer
Cold packs
Hand warmers
Gauze rolls, 4"
Band-Aid's & Steri strips
Triple antibiotic ointment
A first aid pocket guide
Ace bandage
Irrigation syringe
Cloth tape
Burn gel
2 Burn dressings
Emergency blankets
SAM splint
2 Israeli bandages
a Tourniquet
A Smart Compression bandage, for snakes and spiders
Hemostatic gel
Orange Oropharyngeal airway
Nasopharyngeal airway w/lube
Tweezers
Nitrile Gloves
Water purification tablets
A couple of pads, tampons, and condoms

In a separate "quick" bag I've got:
Aleve
Aspirin
Baby Aspirin
Aleve
Benadryl
Dramamine
Tylenol
Zanfel

I've got a small selection of all pills, blister gel, emergency blankets, water purification tablets, Glucose packets, hand warmers and the smart compression bandage in my day bag, along with another Israeli bandage

 

[nwoods]

That looks really solid to me. I am Wilderness First Aid trained (though no longer current), but your kit seems pretty thorough to me.

 

[Pacific Northwest yetti]

We actually have a medicine specific sub forum. It’s one of my favorites, unfortunately it does not get much love.

Overland Medicine and Health

Discussions about medical care, issues, and prevention, along with general travel fitness, health and hygiene.

expeditionportal.com

 

[Pacific Northwest yetti]

For what it’s worth, my two cents. I will try my best to stay surface level. Looks solid, a few things.

Of course training is great. Knowing how to use, and practice what you have. The amount of people who don’t know how to use a TQ and carry them is scary. The windless is not endless. Or the amount of failed improvised TQs I have seen that led to death.
The good Samaritan law can provide some protection. For those we are laypersons, but don’t protect anyone who holds, or was ever trained to a level that would require an active medical license. (EMT,AEMT,Paramedic,Nurse,PA,MD etc)

There is also a clause in here that can void it, if its equipment one would need a license to use. (let’s say an ET tube)
My kits are all modular and scalable. With a consideration for head count, time away, environment and space. My work is different than most. ( Remote Medicine & Risk Management)

Props on the tampons, pads and rubbers. Most people forget about those things. Both come in handy when needed, and are generally very appreciated. Temp swings can mess with glues, rubbers and adhesives. Know what’s in there, and go through it regularly and replace as needed.

If you don’t know how to use it, dump it. And save the space. I’ll explain bellow. I hear “but someone I am with, may know how to use it”. True, a lot of providers don’t want to use gear that has been in a truck for a long time. As their licensure will be at risk, if the gear is bad. And with a few exceptions they should be able to make do with something if needed.

OTC, and quick kit are good. I love SAM splints and have used them for many things.

Chest Seals: A time to use it, a time not to use it. Most who know those things can easily build one in the field with a plastic rolled gauze wrapper.

Airways: These both have contraindications that can be fatal if used and certain conditions exist. Ex) signs of basilar skull fractures, facial trauma, and disruption of the midface, nasopharynx or roof of the mouth.

Snake Bite compression kits, we will keep hearing about these. And it’ll go back and forth for a long time, as the raw data…well just not much out there. Medicine does advance however as we know more. They have some important things to note about them.
Noteworthy,
is that the compression bandage, has a specific way (Direction outside to inside, so toes to core, fingers to core and pressure, 40-70mmhg in the upper, and 55-70 in the lower extremity) it should be applied.

Also, only with specific types of venoms and snakes. Specifically, Crotalinae: Rattle snakes,

And only if it was a “wet” bite.

That the thought process behind it, is when definitive care can be reached quickly use it. And when properly done, it may slow the body wide symptoms. (As Pressure can build up, and can cause compartment syndrome with, under the bandage if it takes too long to get to a hospital.)

The standard (the last 20 years or so) is to remove all constricting things, mark the swelling, keep the PT calm, and refrain from moving the limb as much as possible.

Just some food for thought, having one, and knowing what’s in it, is leagues above plenty of folks.

 

[Groverland]

Reading this thread inspired me today to fill the empty first aid bag I have in my camper! I went to an actual safety supply store in my area and they got me the 'basics'. Gloves, gauze, ointments, bandages, dressing, antiseptic, and pain relief.

My background is former licensed EMT, but I never practiced and honestly have forgotten much of what I learned those many years ago. I just told them I wanted an ordinary person's simple first aid kit for camping/travel. Thank you for being the reminder I needed to do this!

 

[craig333]

I was an EMT back in the 80's. Are you saying that training could still hold me liable?

 

[Pacific Northwest yetti]

I was an EMT back in the 80's. Are you saying that training could still hold me liable?

If you used a skill, that is EMT level: then yes. + practicing without a license. Example, drawing epi out of a vile to use. In 80, they were still teaching PASG pants & Sager traction splint. Mostly, only when operating outside the basic first aid level. However, if something goes south...all bets are off.
However, depending on what the outcome was- (if a suit is involved, probably bad) its easy for the prosecutor to say “well, EMT x, was once trained to a specific level. That has lapsed, they tried to do this thing, and failed. Its their fault. Had they still been active, they would have known about the change in standard of care. They would have still been proficient” They did the EMT CPR, not the First Aid CPR, or something equally silly.

Honestly it’s all pretty muddy, the past few years have shown a few unfortunate cases. I will try to find them with this. The world we grew up in has changed, and now someone probably has a video of what happened on their phone.

 

[Pacific Northwest yetti]

First Responder is (At least in the US) an unlicensed medical level. Which is only a touch above First Aid, CPR. With a little added for anatomy and physiology, and assisting Medics. Just adds bagging a PT, next to a licensed individual. Who will take the blame if something goes south. So that tracks.

You are probably less likely to get sued in Canada. Country to Country there are a lot of differences, then jump to International waters. (or the military) And it’s crazy.

 

[Todd780]

I would never administer medications. I might help someone with their own epipen but I would NEVER administer medications.

When I've gone to 1st aid courses, this is what is taught.

We are also supposed to identify ourselves as 1st aiders and ask if they want help.
Works great if someone is unconscious...

 

[craig333]

I have two levels of aid. One for strangers and another for friends and family who I hope won't sue me. I need to at least recert my first aid and cpr. I keep thinking Wilderness first aid but I'm probably too lazy to spend the time.

 

[JamesReddish]

Having done a few different and varied but relatively low level first aid courses here in the UK for over a decade now -
What I carry is exactly what I know how to use, confidently and reliably. This is the most important thing for me, if I learn a new skill I will get the correct gear for it. If I was travelling with somebody with a higher skill level I would consider increasing my kit to their level to add duplication/ease etc.

In terms of a small first aid kit I prefer to carry large items instead of small, eg large plasters and bandages, too big is a non issue for me compared to too small.

1 thing I have found the hard way is that a lot of first aid courses focus on you providing the aid to someone else, not you in need. When I cut my hand I was amazed at the difficulty in performing what would be easy for me on someone else.
With this in mind a few simple steps will/have happened - my partner will go on a basic first aid course, I now keep a pre tied sling (that was completely impossible), and the edges on any tapes are peeled back so they are easy to grab (I couldn't keep pressure and peel tape, I also now only use scissors to open packaging to build the muscley memory). Also any first aid kit can be grabbed 1 handed, thinking of which point perhaps 1 legged should be considered.

Just a few thoughts to add to the thread.

But back to the OP that's a very comprehensive list, it sounds like you've had plenty of training too (although I'm not familiar with those being from the UK). Here's to hoping you don't need to use it!