Bandaids are good for leeches, but not much else. They used to say put a bandaid over a snake bite to collect sprayed venom, which could be used to test for the kind of snake - but it's BS. All they do is help a leech bite which would otherwise free-bleed and cause a mess.
If it's such a small injury that a bandaid will help, you don't need to do anything to it at all. Unless it's for the little'uns. They love 'em.
Rule 1: The most important skill you can have, is how to maintain an airway - how to put someone into a position where they don't obstruct. Teach your partner, your kids - everyone. This WILL SAVE LIVES and it's easy enough to teach to a 3 year old - I know, because I taught it to a 3 year old who SAVED HER FATHER'S LIFE doing it.
Rule 2: If it's going on anyone other than you, or immediate family, EVERYTHING is SINGLE USE ONLY.
Rule 3: How far away are you from an ambulance/chopper, really? Spend you money on gear to CALL one (radios, EPIRB, sat-phone) instead of trying to BE ONE.
In most cases if you have to resuscitate someone for more than half an hour, you might as well just boil the billy and have a cuppa, as it does just as much. Do you carry a defib?
Looking at that kit, at $250, the base camp kit is worth about $50, and is about half full of crap you don't need. The key ingredients are lots of bandages, gloves, and pads. The rest is just comfort, and you shouldn't confuse comfort (I have a splinter) with First Aid (I'm about to bleed to death).
- Bandages = take at least 6, maybe a finger one (1 inch) but mostly 4" ones are good - supermarket stuff is fine.
Gloves = take twice as many as you were going to take before you read this
Steri strip = you won't be able to use it - for most things gaffa tape is better and also fixes your car
Wound dressing = home brand 'womens pads' - 24 for $2 - are cheap, clean, absorbent, cheap, disposable, big enough, can be cut up, cheap, and are designed to soak up blood. They fit all the criteria.
Resus Mask - single use only = these are crap bits of plastic with fiber 'filters' on them. Forget it. Get a proper pocket mask or don't bother. If you're not a relative or a damn good friend (or a kid) I'm not doing resus on you unless I have a pocket mask at least.
Alcoholic Swabs (disinfecting instruments) = NO NO NO. You shouldn't need to disinfect anything. If it gets blood on it, it should be disposable. Don't use alcohol swabs on wounds unless you want a black eye.
You're not doing any surgery here, so what else do you need?
Triangular bandages ... how long are you going away for? Do you REALLY know how to put one on without causing more injury? Patients naturally hold broken arms in the most comfortable position, so let them - don't force them to put on a sling.
Instant cold pack = You don't have ice? No cold beer?
Glass Thermometer = tell me what temperatures will kill an adult, and what is ok in the short term... you don't know? Why do you need a thermo then?
Burnaid Gel 25g = waste of time and $ - Emla cream is good. Panadol will do.
Stingose = bi carb soda and water in a paste
CPR Wallet Card = if you need one of these, your CPR won't be worth crap so don't even bother.
Splinter Probs (Disp). = use hypodermic needles if you must.
Antiseptic Wipes = most people just wipe more crap into wounds with these. You either need a whole box of 48, or just get a bottle of Betadine and pour it on.
Cetrimide = get betadine, forget this crap.
Deep Heat = how is this first aid?
Forceps, stainless steel = use plastic ones AND THROW THEM AWAY, or use none. DO NOT bother trying to 'disinfect' them, you're wasting your time unless you're carrying an autoclave or some very nasty cytotoxic crap to drown them in for a day.
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From memory if you have Medibank Private you can use your $100.00 bonus in that to put towards them. Does anyone know how you find out when a course in your area is taking place? I have been trying to get work to organise something but they won't have anything to do with it. I also need a new kit, mine is a few years old now and I noticed when looking in there the other day that things like blades that were in plastic - the glue has deterioated and the paper is falling away from the object - time to invest I think
