A well-stocked first-aid kit can help you respond effectively to common injuries and emergencies. Lea Mathison, BSN, RN, the emergency department trauma coordinator at MercyOne Siouxland Medical Center, breaks down best practices and essentials for your first-aid kit.
First-aid kit basics
A few basics to be aware of when creating your first-aid kit include:
- Keep at least one-first aid kit in your home or in your car
- Make sure to store your kits in a place easy to get to and out of the reach of children
- Talk with your children that are old enough about the purpose of the kits and where they are located
Essentials for your first-aid kit
You can buy first-aid kits at many drug stores or can create your own. You may want to create your kit based on your activities and needs.
Things you need to look for in a first-aid kit:
Basic Supplies:
- Adhesive tape
- Elastic wrap bandages
- Bandage strips and "butterfly" bandages in assorted sizes
- Super glue
- Nonstick sterile bandages and roller gauze in assorted sizes
- Eye shield or pad
- Large triangular bandage (may be used as a sling)
- Aluminum finger splint
- Instant cold packs
- Cotton balls and cotton-tipped swabs
- Disposable nonlatex examination gloves, several pairs
- Duct tape
- Petroleum jelly or other lubricant
- Plastic bags, assorted sizes
- Safety pins in assorted sizes
- Scissors and tweezers
- Hand sanitizer
- Antibiotic ointment
- Antiseptic solution and towelettes
- Eyewash solution
- Thermometer
- Turkey baster or other bulb suction device for flushing wounds
- Sterile saline for irrigation, flushing
- Syringe, medicine cup or spoon
- First-aid manual
- Hydrogen peroxide to disinfect
- Tourniquet (a certified Stop the Bleed tourniquet)
Medications to have on hand:
- Aloe vera gel
- Calamine lotion
- Anti-diarrhea medication
- Laxative
- Antacids
- Antihistamine, such as diphenhydramine
- Hydrocortisone cream
- Cough and cold medications
- Personal medications that don't need refrigeration
- *Auto-injector of epinephrine, if prescribed by your doctor* Someone with severe allergies would need this. *
- Pain relievers, such as acetaminophen (Tylenol, others), ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB, others)
Additional considerations:
Aspirin is something you can consider having in a first-aid kit for the purpose of someone having chest pain that is unexplainable. This can be a lifesaving intervention for someone who may be having a heart attack. If this happens, call 911 and follow directions from the dispatcher. Have the person or you chew the adult aspirin. However, do not take aspirin if you are allergic to aspirin, have bleeding problems, take blood thinners, or advised by your provider not to do so. Never give children aspirin.
Emergency items:
- Emergency phone numbers including contact information for your family health care provider and pediatrician, local emergency services, emergency road service providers and the poison help line.
- Contact poison help line for help Poison Control in the U.S.: online at www.poison.org or by calling 1-800-222-1222. Both options are free, confidential, and available 24 hours a day.
- Medical consent forms for each family member
- Medical history forms for each family member
- Small, waterproof flashlight or headlamp and extra batteries
- Waterproof matches
- Small notepad and waterproof writing instrument
- Emergency space blanket
- Cell phone with solar charger
- Sunscreen
- Insect repellant
Give your kit a checkup
Check your first-aid kits regularly to be sure the flashlight batteries work and to replace supplies that have expired or been used up. Utilize the American Red Cross for a first-aid course or check your nearest MercyOne for future classes to become more familiar.
