out of date first aid kit?

[sargey]

what are your thoughts?

dressings in sound packaging.

saline irrigation pods in good condition.

medication.

could it be used: for training? for first aid? should it be destroyed?

discuss......

cheers, and.

 

[bikething]

My thoughts are

dressings in sound packaging.
- anything that doesn't come into direct contact with the wound (bandages, tape, slings) no problem
- anything that does (non-adherant dressing pads for example) - any sign of deteriation to packaging then ditch it (or use for training) otherwise OK

saline irrigation pods in good condition.
- provided they've been stored in a cool place out of sunlight then OK

medication.
- don't risk it!

but that's just my opinion

I would add, that I would be more critical of stuff that comes into contact with the wound when using it on someone else, than I would using it on myself!

 

[filcon]

Keep your old kit for pets, definately don,t use o.o.d eyewash.

phil

 

[rik_uk3]

Throw out the lotions and potions and keep the rest.

 

[barryasmith]

Dressings etc are often sterilised by gamma radiation. The effect of this wears off after a set period of time, at which point the item is potentially at risk of being unsterilised.

I used to take use by dates on dressings with a pinch of salt until a surgeon I know advised me that they are valid and to be adhered to.

I'd still keep them for training and of course it is up to you what you put on/in your body!

Barry

 

[Smith28]

I would say anything apart from that which you must ingest is perfectly fine to use 100 years after it's packaged, assuming it is still packaged.

Just what I go by though. I'm still alive.

 

[BoonDoc]

Don't forget that the makers of medical supplies are out to make money. Sell by dates are there mainly to make more money.

Surgeons are correct when discussing their supplies as they will be putting them inside the body. For a FAK your supplies will be perfectly fine in 100 years.

The medications are mostly fine after their sell by dates. Most medications only loose viability as the years go by. There have been tests done on aspirin that was made over 100 years ago. It is safe but it would take more of the drug to do what it is supposed to.

research

 

[John Fenna]

The dressings (pad and bandage in one type AKA "ambulance dressings" etc) that I buy have no use-by date...
I get them from my local chemist in boxes of 5 (or is it six?...) and they are cheap.
I forget their name but each dressing is individually, positive pressure sealed items and until I can see that they have lost pressure then I think they are OK ... after that they are for training/fire lighting etc

 

[Dogoak]

IMHO same as the others, medication, broken packages etc; OUT, anything else thats in good condition OK. I was advised by a proffesional some years ago to carry a pack of blue J cloth type things, very handy for big wounds and heavy bleeding and they arn't sterilised! Might not be conducive with current thinking though.

 

[pteron]

I don't chuck dressings out - unless the packaging is broken how do they lose their sterility?

Meds and such like, I bin at the expiration date. Ibu is so cheap at sainsburys there's no point in keeping it. We don't use paracetamol.

 

[The Ratcatcher]

When I was in the RAMC in the 80's, we still had dressings in kits and in stores which were manufactured during WW2, and we were still issuing and using them, so I dont think dressings date expire. As for saline, medications etc., as soon as they are out of date, bin them and replace them ASAP.

Alan

 

[sapper1]

A lesson I learnt.
Make sure your plasters and sticky things are in date,they do deteriorate and stop sticking.
Had it not been for John Fenna and his up to date kit I could have been in serious trouble last year when I nearly severed a finger with an axe.My first aid kit just was not up to the job,the plasters didn't stick,the roll of plaster didn't stick the micropore didn't stick.If John wasn't there I could easily have lost enough blood to put me out cold and where we were and in the temperature we were I wouldn't have seen the morning.
My advice?

Keep it All up to date and make sure you have enough,you only get one chance at first aid.

 

[pteron]

A lesson I learnt.
Make sure your plasters and sticky things are in date,they do deteriorate and stop sticking.
Had it not been for John Fenna and his up to date kit I could have been in serious trouble last year when I nearly severed a finger with an axe.My first aid kit just was not up to the job,the plasters didn't stick,the roll of plaster didn't stick the micropore didn't stick.If John wasn't there I could easily have lost enough blood to put me out cold and where we were and in the temperature we were I wouldn't have seen the morning.
My advice?

Keep it All up to date and make sure you have enough,you only get one chance at first aid.

I'm not sure which plaster I would choose to reattach a partially severed finger!

Was it a case of staunching the blood flow or did you need more drastic measures?

 

[John Fenna]

I'm not sure which plaster I would choose to reattach a partially severed finger!

Was it a case of staunching the blood flow or did you need more drastic measures?

Ach - the man exagerates
Twas naught but a fleshwound ... OK a gaping fleshwound that poured blood like there was no tomorrow - but still a flesh wound
The main point was that the adhesive on his plasters etc was u/s - something that has happened to me before as well - and no dressing would stay in place. I patched him up as well as I could with tape and elastoplast (was there a bit of Gaffa in the mix as well? - I forget now) but as everything was so cold and wet even the steristrips failed to hold.
The silly so and so would not go to have it seen to by a real medic so oozed blood all over his sleepingbag, dog, clothing etc all night and when he did go for treatment (after one of the worst nights on the hill I have ever endured) he was told he was too late and it could not be sewn up ...so he has a nice litle scar as a momento
He sold the axe
This trip has gone down in history as one of the "endurance" bushy trips from Hades!

 

[BOD]

When I was in the RAMC in the 80's, we still had dressings in kits and in stores which were manufactured during WW2, and we were still issuing and using them, so I dont think dressings date expire. As for saline, medications etc., as soon as they are out of date, bin them and replace them ASAP.

Alan

Yes In 1973 i was issued a field dressing that had Admiralty 1944 on it.

Damn fool I didn't keep it would have been nice to have in the FAK

 

[sargey]

i seem to recall someone saying that medication use by dates had built in cushion, so they're effective long after the sell by date is up.

for the rest my own thoughts are much as alredy mentioned, dressings with intact packaging are good for a long long time.

cheers, and.

 

[Treemonk]

No-one has actually mentioned the issue that if (and I don't know if it is the case) the kit is for group/facility use e.g. scout hut first aid kit, office kit etc, There is a requirement to keep these kits within date. Also meds should not be in a group kit as you aren't alowed to prescribe.

For your own kit - as others have said - bandages etc keep unless damaged, refresh meds but I'm sure there is a hefty buffer on the date.

Remember with first aid that if you have a nice injury, the hospital is likely to put you onto antibiotics anyway - so absolute sterility is less of an issue than staunching the blood and keeping someone alive.

 

[udamiano]

I used to be in charge of the medical room at work and when stuff went out of date, they were donated to the local First-Aid training group for the St Johns

 

[Graveworm]

No-one has actually mentioned the issue that if (and I don't know if it is the case) the kit is for group/facility use e.g. scout hut first aid kit, office kit etc, There is a requirement to keep these kits within date. Also meds should not be in a group kit as you aren't alowed to prescribe

It is not prescribing to give non controlled medicines and anyone can legally give them to anyone who wants them. The issue that gets overblown is around civil liability and so long as you act with reasonable diligence you will never have anything to worry about. It is not part of first aid at work to administer any medication with the exception of aspirin for cardiac conditions and certain medications that are carried by the individual. It is the HSE recommendation that medicines and tablets should not be kept in workplace first aid kit. Remote and offshore first aid kits do and are recommended to contain meds.

 

[Maxip]

Personally, I'd prefer to keep the FAK with all in date dressings / bandages and as has been said before, change plasters & anything that is sticky on a regular basis as they lose stickiness especially when taken to hot & cold climates. I would bin (via the local pharmacy) any OOD medicines but use any bandages / slings / etc for training. If you have no use for them, I'm sure local Scouts / First Responders / St Johns / etc would gladly take them.

I maintain 3 kits and endeavour to keep them all in date - a personal one (with medication, pain relief, etc.), Scout Group (no medication but plenty of bandages / plasters), hockey team (no medication but external pain relief spray / gels). Most items in a FAK are reasonably cheap and I will always err on the side of caution when it comes to health.