Home first aid kit

[Broch]

Ok, units - How often are you supposed to check it? How long can pass whilst its being fit for purpose? does it or should it be checked as in terms of rotable type calibration?

The justification for it is sound , makes sense and as you say price wise... well , what price could be put on that of a life of family.

I check ours every month - by that, I check there is still a green 'OK' light on it. Basically, the main cause of failure would be battery deterioration and that's what the inbuilt self-test is looking at. The units themselves come with 8-10 yr warranties (typically) and one is advised to replace them in this time. The batteries are not warrantied for that time but are self-tested - typically 5-7 year life.

Edit: you can buy unused, batteries replaced, units taken out of service but I decided the price difference didn't justify it.

 

[TeeDee]

I just popped out to check out the local one that I 100% thought was there - its not , its either been removed or I imagined the whole thing like an episode from Dallas...

 

[slowworm]

It's something we're considering. It's the one recent course I've done and we're miles away from a public defib (and when I took an interest in such things there was often local politics that meant they were moved or not looked after). I gather they have their limitations, such as not being able to start a heart but only stabilise a heartbeat.

 

[Chris]

I just popped out to check out the local one that I 100% thought was there - its not , its either been removed or I imagined the whole thing like an episode from Dallas...

I’ve considered becoming a Community First Responder for reasons like this. Allows you to contribute to your local community, you get given kit and training and you also then know where the nearest equipment is when you might need to use it, because it’s in your car.

 

[TeeDee]

I’ve considered becoming a Community First Responder for reasons like this. Allows you to contribute to your local community, you get given kit and training and you also then know where the nearest equipment is when you might need to use it, because it’s in your car.

Good idea.

 

[TeeDee]

My local link - covers the concept and parameters.

Community First Responders

www.swast.nhs.uk

 

[Chris]

It's something we're considering. It's the one recent course I've done and we're miles away from a public defib (and when I took an interest in such things there was often local politics that meant they were moved or not looked after). I gather they have their limitations, such as not being able to start a heart but only stabilise a heartbeat.

They can shock a fibrillating heart (irregular heartbeat) back into sinus rhythm but they can’t restart a stopped heart. There is a small possibility of a heart spontaneously starting itself again whilst CPR is carried out, or a shot of epinephrine can sometimes do it, but a fully stopped heart is often lights out.

 

[Broch]

Prompted by these questions, I've just checked ours - it will be five years old in December. Recommended in the manual is battery replacement and pad replacement every five years - however, in total that will be £45 for batteries and £56 for new pads.

 

[Broch]

They can shock a fibrillating heart (irregular heartbeat) back into sinus rhythm but they can’t restart a stopped heart. There is a small possibility of a heart spontaneously starting itself again whilst CPR is carried out, or a shot of epinephrine can sometimes do it, but a fully stopped heart is often lights out.

Which is why speed is of the essence.

 

[TeeDee]

Prompted by these questions, I've just checked ours - it will be five years old in December. Recommended in the manual is battery replacement and pad replacement every five years - however, in total that will be £45 for batteries and £56 for new pads.

What was the price of the Base unit please Broch?

 

[Broch]

What was the price of the Base unit please Broch?

Around £1,200 - I think it's about that now. ZOLL AED Plus Fully Auto.

 

[Gabri]

Non-sterile bandages don’t usually have an expiration date since they’re not sealed to stay sterile, so they should be fine as long as they’re clean and not damaged. Sterile dressings, on the other hand, generally last around two to three years, so it’s important to replace them after that to avoid any risk of infection. For a good home first aid kit, I’ve found brands like Lifeline or Adventure Medical Kits to be reliable, they come with a decent variety of supplies and tend to be good quality. Some specialized kits or medical suppliers might offer sterile dressings with a longer shelf life, but honestly, it’s not a big deal to swap them out every couple of years if you keep an eye on the dates. Just make sure your kit has the basics covered like dressings, plasters, antiseptic wipes, and scissors.

 

[Laurentius]

If nothing else was available and I needed it urgently, yes.

But if I noticed it was damaged/open prior to needing it, I’d get it replaced.

I have dressed a nasty wound with a dirty old towel before and I am still here, you use whatever you have until you can get it cleaned and redressed professionally.

 

[Laurentius]

Yes I agree with you. In fact I said something similar in the post that you quoted:

“I would be willing to use anything, even if there was nothing clean available, as a bandage to stop the blood flow as quickly as possible as that is the immediate risk to life. I would then deal with any infection and cleaning the wound afterwards once the blood loss was safely under control.”

However a factor worth bearing in mind these days is that ambulances regularly take half a day or more to arrive and waiting times in A&E can be similarly as long or longer. This makes me more concerned about keeping a wound clean early on than I would have been just a few years ago when people were certain that they could always be seen to quickly if they turned up at A&E. These days I no longer feel we can have that same confidence in the NHS. Would they actually be quick enough to clean the wound and re-bandage it before an infection had time to set in? I’m not so sure now. The chance of a person sitting around in a waiting room all day before being seen to seems to be fairly high these days.

I’m not saying that I’m definitely right here but I do think that it is something worthy of consideration and I would be interested to hear what other people think about this subject.

They will pump you full of antiobiotics when they finally get to you, people rarely die of infection these days. If your anti tetanus is up to date you will most likely be alright.

 

[Chris]

They will pump you full of antiobiotics when they finally get to you, people rarely die of infection these days. If your anti tetanus is up to date you will most likely be alright.

Around 50k deaths from sepsis per year in the UK. Whilst you're right that antibiotics are generally effective and stopping the imminent threat of a catastrophic bleed killing you certainly takes priority, the risk from infection is still not to be underestimated. So having an accessible, sterile gauze and bandage option should be a priority.

 

[Pupers]

Around 50k deaths from sepsis per year in the UK. Whilst you're right that antibiotics are generally effective and stopping the imminent threat of a catastrophic bleed killing you certainly takes priority, the risk from infection is still not to be underestimated. So having an accessible, sterile gauze and bandage option should be a priority.

But out of those 50k it would not be a high percentage from wounds, and yes, you should have sterile stuff available, but the priority with a severe or catastrophic bleed is to get it stopped.

My last excursion to hospital was a wound needing stitching, hand, then surgery a few day's later, so stitched up twice, once in minor injuries, then after a procedure at the Hand Trauma Plastic Surgery Unit at the RD&E. I used a low adherent dressing and vet wrap, and was complimented in triage. A few rolls of vet wrap and low adherent dressings are my bandage go to, and a couple of CATs around the place. A trauma fix dressing is a great bit of kit to.

As a bit of info, when I was being treated the wound was washed out with a lite of saline solution, they had me do that as it took about 20 minutes. The nurse informed me that not only is it cleaning the wound, but the cold stops the bleeding, and it did.

Also, keep wounds dressed as they heal better in a moist environment , having them open to the air to heal is not recommended.

Got some great pics!

 

[HorseGuy]

They will pump you full of antiobiotics when they finally get to you, people rarely die of infection these days. If your anti tetanus is up to date you will most likely be alright.

While a dose of antibiotics will no doubt keep you alive if ever you do get infected I would much rather not take any antibiotics at all if it can be helped. Hence I would rather keep a wound as clean as possible as early as possible if I can safely do so. Prevention is always better than cure as they say.

That said we do have various antibiotics (both regular medical grade antibiotics and also other less invasive natural alternatives) on hand at home just in case they are ever needed.

 

[Laurentius]

While a dose of antibiotics will no doubt keep you alive if ever you do get infected I would much rather not take any antibiotics at all if it can be helped. Hence I would rather keep a wound as clean as possible as early as possible if I can safely do so. Prevention is always better than cure as they say.

That said we do have various antibiotics (both regular medical grade antibiotics and also other less evasive natural alternatives) on hand at home just in case they are ever needed.

Not as if you have the choice, they will put them in intravenously while they operate, ironically I have just cut myself today with an SAK classic that folded on me, stuck a plaster on and wrapped it round with gaffer tape to keep it there.

 

[Pattree]

I think there is a merging of First Aid and Paramedic practice currently.
I have played the part of a casualty in First Aid competitions and some of the participants are carrying kit that closely resembles the packs used by ambulance and helicopter paramedics.

I’m a trained (4 days every three years) Industrial first aider. My job is primarily to suck in my breath and say “That looks nasty. Better get you to hospital.”

My job is actually to ensure that air is going in and that blood isn’t coming out for long enough to hand over a living patient.
As others have pointed out, a wound is unlikely to become seriously infected even with today’s wait for an ambulance.

In my Industrial days the main FA tools were sticking plaster and eye wash. Very occasionally a wound dressing.

On the one occasion we dealt with a fractured femur we were complimented by the NHS paramedic for leaving the patient on the floor and doing nothing other than keep him warm, comfortable as possible and reassuring him.

Not necessary but useful - I found tubular bandage quick and handy (but just looking it up - silly expensive.)

 

[TeeDee]

Lets take this a different route ( I know , the farce of assuming one can direct a thread in a predetermined direction ) - What if the assumed transit from injury to hospital thus bypassing the nasty use of using the homes sick cats blankety fleece as hasty dressing is somewhat delayed over and beyond the normal anticipated high speed ( tongue in cheek ) blue light uber.

What if , bad weather, national emergency , Santa's not coming - you have to deal with things longer than you may wish too do so.

Does it affect practice to best practice.