A life-saving first aid kit must meet these 7 criteria! Check if yours meets the criteria

A friend who knows medicine around you / makes health easier

Home first aid kit: your home's "first line of defense"

——Nurses teach you how to configure and use it scientifically

1. The importance of first aid kit: it can save lives at critical moments

According to statistics, 80% of accidental injuries at home (such as burns, cuts, allergies) occur at night or when medical resources are inconvenient. A standardized home first aid kit can:

✔️ Control the injury before going to the hospital (such as stopping bleeding, fixing fractures)

✔️ Avoid aggravating the injury by mishandling (such as applying toothpaste to treat burns)

✔️ Buy time for patients with chronic diseases (such as acute asthma attacks)

2. List of essential items: basic version + supplement for special groups

【Basic Configuration】

Disinfection protection :

Disposable medical rubber gloves (3-5 pairs)

Iodine cotton swab (individually packed), 75% alcohol spray

Physiological saline (10ml/tube, for washing wounds)

Trauma management :

Sterile gauze (5×5cm, 10×10cm, 1 pack each)

Elastic bandages, medical tape, band-aids (various sizes)

Hemostatic cotton/hemostatic powder (for deep wounds)

First aid tools :

Medical scissors (rounded head), tweezers, thermometer

Ice pack/cold compress (for initial use in sprains and burns)

Flashlight (to check for pupils or foreign bodies in the mouth)

Commonly used drugs :

Fever and pain relief: Ibuprofen, acetaminophen (drops for children)

Anti-allergic: Loratadine tablets (adults), Cetirizine drops (children)

Antidiarrhea: Oral rehydration salt III, montmorillonite powder

【Supplement for special populations】

Heart disease patients: Nitroglycerin tablets (keep away from light and replace within 3 months after opening)

Asthma patients: Quick-acting inhaler (such as albuterol aerosol, check the expiration date regularly)

Infants and young children: fever-reducing patches, medicine feeders, anti-scratch gloves

3. Use three major principles

Cleanliness first : Wash your hands and wear gloves before treating wounds to avoid infection

Symptomatic use : Superficial abrasion → Normal saline rinse → Iodine disinfection → Gauze cover sprain within 48 hours → Ice pack (≤ 20 minutes each time) → Elastic bandage pressure

Seek medical attention promptly : Call 120 immediately if any of the following situations occur:

✔️ Heavy bleeding ✔️ Confusion ✔️ Severe allergic reaction (difficulty breathing, laryngeal edema)

4. Common Misunderstandings and Corrections

❌Misconception 1 : "Cotton swabs dipped in alcohol are the cleanest for disinfection"

✅ Correct answer: Alcohol is highly irritating and is only used for complete skin disinfection; use normal saline + iodine for wounds

❌Misconception 2 : "Apply toothpaste/soy sauce immediately after burns"

✅ Correct answer: Immediately shower with cold water for 15 minutes → Cover with sterile gauze → See a doctor

❌Misconception 3 : “Take any painkiller you want, and don’t take it if you can bear it”

✅ Correct answer: Severe pain can induce shock, but please note:

Painkillers are contraindicated for unexplained abdominal pain

Do not take more than 4 ibuprofen doses in 24 hours

5. Daily Maintenance Guide

Regular inspection : Check items every 3 months and replace expired medicines in time (for example, the validity period of opened iodine tincture is only 7 days)

Classified storage : medicines and external medicines are placed separately, and all items are labeled in Chinese

Reasonable placement : Store in a dry and cool place (avoid the bathroom or kitchen) in a fixed location. The whole family knows, but children cannot touch it. Knowledge reserve : It is recommended that family members learn CPR and Heimlich first aid method.

Special reminder from nurses

First aid kit is not a universal medicine box. It is not recommended to store antibiotics, syringes and other prescription drugs.

First aid kits for the elderly should be labeled with large letters, and medications for chronic diseases should be packaged separately with instructions for use.

Prepare a car first aid kit when traveling by car, and add items such as tourniquets and life-saving blankets

Kind tips

Three things to do this Sunday:

Check if your first aid kit is missing any items

Use a permanent marker to mark the opening date on the medicine box

Teach your children to recognize the first aid kit sign: "This is a life-saving kit, you can't play with it casually"

References:

1. All network resources

2. Picture from Toutiao

Author: Nurse Wang. A friend who understands medicine makes health easier.

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