First Aid Kit with MD/Nurse at Hand

[williejc]

In 1981 I was setting up inservice training programs for physicians, medical assistants, and nurses employed by the Texas prison system. The purpose was to obtain accreditation and of course to improve performance. Medical assistants were the back bone of the medical system at that time. Few had training beyond EMT programs. Yet they did everything. A severely critical error committed by them was sewing up stabbing or deep puncture wounds as a first step. The same treatment was carried out for any other wound big or small. Debridement of damaged and contaminated tissue didn't occur. The next step was placing the patient in an ambulance for a long trip to a hospital that contracted for inmate care.

So, my point is if a guy has a kit for suturing, does he know when not to do it as a treatment step? Few medical treatment staff knew how to intubate a patient. I encouraged them to practice on recently deceased inmates before they were carried out for burial in a prison cemetery.

Benadryl in large dosages has a mild sedative effect. The same given along with amitriptyline is even more effective. This treatment was probably out of fashion 35 years ago. But, it is cheap and safe.

[Slab]

Are you building your "kit" with the expectation of treating the public or just treating your family/close friends?

[nova3930]

Are you building your "kit" with the expectation of treating the public or just treating your family/close friends?

If you're not part of my circle you can gtfo

[Slab]

Seems to me, between what your “current” list contains and some of the recommendations others have thrown out (BP cuffs, stethoscope, possibly IVs, Pedialyte, diarrhea meds, etc..) I think you could handle most reasonable issues, for the short duration… Long term care is another issue, which it sounds as though you aren’t considering… I would say the size of your group would be a factor in determining the volume of equipment you’ll want on hand and I would solicit your “members” to see if anyone has any pre-existing conditions you wouldn’t want to be surprised with. I would argue, in general, after some sort of an event people will be doing tasks they don’t necessarily do on a daily basis… Running a chainsaw to clear fallen trees, cooking with open flame, moving around debris with nails/metal sticking out, etc. I would think about the types of injuries that people will sustain, doing these unfamiliar tasks, and let that drive my equipment selection… IMHO.