First Aid Kits

Started by abolt18
This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.
Get help with your application

Use all the free resources available to you from SDN: articles, guides, expert advising, forums discussions, and school research.

Browse articles Compare schools My application plan Read Interview Feedback
Practice for interviews Ask an Advisor
abolt18

abolt18

Cool cool cool cool cool cool cool cool cool cool
Verified Member
10+ Year Member
Advertisement - Members don't see this ad
I did the Advanced Wilderness Life Support (AWLS) certification in med school, and so at that time I built a decent first aid kit for my outdoor adventures, but I'm wanting to put together a fairly comprehensive first aid kit for home (IV fluids and supplies, epi/EpiPen, bandages, tourniquet, gloves, lidocaine w syringes/needles, suture, etc.) I'm just curious, for those of you who have a decent first aid kit, any recommendations?

All the home stuff is always scattered throughout the house. bandaids here, scissors there, other stuff elsewhere. My backpacking/camping first aid stuff is just a few gallon ziplock bags.

For the home kit, deciding between a bag/backpack and something more like a big tackle box. What do you guys use? What supplies do you include in your kit?
 
Last edited:
When I saw the one my wife bought for her classroom for like $50 I said “I could have stolen all of that!”

Seriously though, think about what you could actually make a difference with. I like the epi. Also albuterol and Benadryl. If you are really in the wilderness maybe TXA, ketorolac. You probably won’t want to suture in the woods, id say something for irrigation and then maybe steri strips/mastisol or something more temporary since you’ll want a real irrigation job back in civilization. Throw in some survival elements like foil blanket/poncho, lighter and fire starter stuff, iodine tabs…
 
Advertisement - Members don't see this ad
caligas said:
When I saw the one my wife bought for her classroom for like $50 I said “I could have stolen all of that!”

Seriously though, think about what you could actually make a difference with. I like the epi. Also albuterol and Benadryl. If you are really in the wilderness maybe TXA, ketorolac. You probably won’t want to suture in the woods, id say something for irrigation and then maybe steri strips/mastisol or something more temporary since you’ll want a real irrigation job back in civilization. Throw in some survival elements like foil blanket/poncho, lighter and fire starter stuff, iodine tabs…
Click to expand...
Albuterol is the one I was thinking was an absolute. I have sutured someone in the wild (not that wild...). A suture kit is a great addition that only the higher end ones seem to have. Local anesthetic with a thin gauge syringe/needle for application for sutures is good but may be more problematic to find in a prepared kit.
 
abolt18 said:
I did the Wilderness Medicine certification in med school, and so at that time I built a decent first aid kit for my outdoor adventures, but I'm wanting to put together a fairly comprehensive first aid kit for home (IV fluids and supplies, epi/EpiPen, bandages, tourniquet, gloves, lidocaine w syringes/needles, suture, etc.) I'm just curious, for those of you who have a decent first aid kit, any recommendations?

All the home stuff is always scattered throughout the house. bandaids here, scissors there, other stuff elsewhere. My backpacking/camping first aid stuff is just a few gallon ziplock bags.

For the home kit, deciding between a bag/backpack and something more like a big tackle box. What do you guys use? What supplies do you include in your kit?
Click to expand...
Dermabond/skin glue
 
For our home, I just store everything in some plastic bins. Climate controlled room in the basement, virtually never think about it.

Ever since I saw these guys,

160217141215-new-orleans-superdome.jpg


I have erred on the side of too much stuff. Just the thought that a day may come when I may not have access to any hospital, at all, for days or weeks. Minor surgical kits, sutures, staplers, Dermabond, splinting materials, fairly extensive pharmacy including a variety of PO and IV antibiotics, epi, steroids, inhalers, IV supplies, etc. No controlled substances - there are technically legal ways to stock them, but for me it's a bridge too far and a legal risk that outweighs any potential benefit.
 
pgg said:
For our home, I just store everything in some plastic bins. Climate controlled room in the basement, virtually never think about it.

Ever since I saw these guys,

View attachment 426104

I have erred on the side of too much stuff. Just the thought that a day may come when I may not have access to any hospital, at all, for days or weeks. Minor surgical kits, sutures, staplers, Dermabond, splinting materials, fairly extensive pharmacy including a variety of PO and IV antibiotics, epi, steroids, inhalers, IV supplies, etc. No controlled substances - there are technically legal ways to stock them, but for me it's a bridge too far and a legal risk that outweighs any potential benefit.
Click to expand...
Nausea meds too. Antidiarrheals?
 
pgg said:
For our home, I just store everything in some plastic bins. Climate controlled room in the basement, virtually never think about it.

Ever since I saw these guys,

View attachment 426104

I have erred on the side of too much stuff. Just the thought that a day may come when I may not have access to any hospital, at all, for days or weeks. Minor surgical kits, sutures, staplers, Dermabond, splinting materials, fairly extensive pharmacy including a variety of PO and IV antibiotics, epi, steroids, inhalers, IV supplies, etc. No controlled substances - there are technically legal ways to stock them, but for me it's a bridge too far and a legal risk that outweighs any potential benefit.
Click to expand...


Where did you acquire the abx? Did you order them or “borrow” them from work?
 
pgg said:
For our home, I just store everything in some plastic bins. Climate controlled room in the basement, virtually never think about it.

Ever since I saw these guys,

View attachment 426104

I have erred on the side of too much stuff. Just the thought that a day may come when I may not have access to any hospital, at all, for days or weeks. Minor surgical kits, sutures, staplers, Dermabond, splinting materials, fairly extensive pharmacy including a variety of PO and IV antibiotics, epi, steroids, inhalers, IV supplies, etc. No controlled substances - there are technically legal ways to stock them, but for me it's a bridge too far and a legal risk that outweighs any potential benefit.
Click to expand...
Now this is what I'm talking about! Inspiration.
 
Been thinking about starting a home kit as well.

Anyone stock any airway equipment? I feel like it would be kind of useless without an oxygen source. Maybe a blade and magills for a foreign body?
 
Advertisement - Members don't see this ad
caligas said:
When I saw the one my wife bought for her classroom for like $50 I said “I could have stolen all of that!”

Seriously though, think about what you could actually make a difference with. I like the epi. Also albuterol and Benadryl. If you are really in the wilderness maybe TXA, ketorolac. You probably won’t want to suture in the woods, id say something for irrigation and then maybe steri strips/mastisol or something more temporary since you’ll want a real irrigation job back in civilization. Throw in some survival elements like foil blanket/poncho, lighter and fire starter stuff, iodine tabs…
Click to expand...
Albuterol is a great idea. Got one kid with asthma and we usually have a couple extra inhalers floating around. Smart to have one dedicated to the first aid kit.

This is for my at-home first aid kit. My outdoor/excursion one DOES have suture supplies, lido, needles, steri strips, mastisol, and all the typical water purification, blanket, etc. Home kit is going to be even more robust because space/weight is not an issue. As for suturing in the woods, if I'm miles from civilization on a backpacking trip I won't hesitate to throw a few ugly sutures into a cut just to help hold us over.
 
PainDrain said:
Where did you acquire the abx? Did you order them or “borrow” them from work?
Click to expand...

Medical Supplies, Equipment, Pharmaceuticals | Henry Schein‌

Shop Henry Schein for medical supplies, medical equipment, pharmaceuticals, healthcare solutions and more from our wide selection of brands.
www.henryschein.com www.henryschein.com

Make an account. Submit a copy of your medical license. Order whatever you like.

There's a mechanism for giving them your DEA registration too, and ordering scheduled drugs, but I have not gone there.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.