First Aid Kit

[uncfnp]

My diving first aid kit is also my wilderness first aid kit so I also have a SAM splint and tensor bandages, for fractures. Duct tape and athletes tape are both useful for finishing off bandaging and holding it in place. Triangular bandages are great for slings, open fractures, impaled objects and for bandaging. An eye pad and large trauma pad (for abdominal wounds) are helpful. You're probably already aware of this but antiseptic wipes, alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, etc should only be used to clean around a wound. The wound itself should always be cleaned/irrigated with water. Gloves are also a necessity to protect the patient as well as yourself - no sense infecting a wound you've just spent a lot of time cleaning.

Now thats a heavy duty first aid kit!

 

[Storker]

Read what you quoted from me "(I also carry the same kit out of the country so I include some items that may not truly be considered "first aid").

I didn't read that sentence, sorry.

The purpose will guide the contents.

I totally agree on that. It's very easy to carry more than necessary, so some though should always go into the planning of what to bring and what to leave at home. And a travel medical kit would usually contain more than a basic first aid kit, since the purposes of those two kits are different. For first aid, I prefer to minimize the amount of "stuff", partly because I tend to carry quite a bit of other "stuff", just in case...

 

[DivemasterDennis]

I have found extra latex gloves are important and useful in lots of ways. for finger and thumb and hand cuts I cut them to cover a dressing to keep it dry. I also have a couple of rolls of "trainer's tape- the white cloth tape you can tear easily. Other things to add are mentioned above. Finally, I have a DAN "how to treat these things" small book I also keep in the kit, small useful, and very used.
DivemasterDennis

 

[18diver18]

Just to clarify this is a personal kit that im not spending too much on (so no oxygen kit) as the club already has oxygen and a big first aid kit. It will be kept in a dry bag, beside my gear. Its nearly all shore diving i do, and we are around 2 hrs away from a major town. Can i just ask why so few even have a CPR mask? for £5 is it not better to have and not need than need and not have? cheers

 

[uncfnp]

Hence the usefulness of knowing the purpose of the kit. Most of what I mentioned will be useless for your circumstances. I think you are on the right track and in your circumstances I would include the CPR mask. Vinegar may still be a useful addition if unbreakable/leakproof container.

I do not carry CPR mask because I do not take my kit on dives (bonaire is the exception, I leave it in truck, and I don't mind kissing my dive buddy!)

 

[Oldbear]

If your First-Aid kit does not already contain a set, I recommend EMT shears.




I carry a pair when I dive also (note the snap); but keep a dedicated set in the first-aid kit for emergency use only.

 

[Duke Dive Medicine]

Re the steri-strips and super glue: I would be extremely cautious about field closure of cuts in remote locations, especially marine environments, due to the high risk of infection. In addition to the items already listed, I keep a set of oropharyngeal ariways, a bag valve mask, a couple of packages of QuikClot, and a SAM splint. Be careful with using vinegar on jellyfish tentacles, as vinegar can actually cause the nematocysts from some species to discharge. You could get a 60 cc Toomey syringe and use it with sea water to wash jellyfish tentacles off.

 

[Storker]

If your First-Aid kit does not already contain a set, I recommend EMT shears.

Honest question: For what use?

I almost always carry a small-to-medium-sized well-sharpened knife with a blade length of 7-15cm when I'm outdoors. I'll probably also be bringing my Leatherman tool. What kind of situation would require EMT shears, but couldn't be solved with a knife and the Leatherman?

EDIT: BTW, I second the suggestion of sports tape. It's extremely useful for many small repairs and fixes, not only for medical use. And re. the CPR mask: I think I'll be willing to give CPR even without the mask, so I think it's superfluous for me

 

[18diver18]

The shears are (supposedly) sterile so are better for using for medical use. Also, while you may be willing to do CPR without a mask, would you not prefer a mask when the casualty has vomit all over there face?

 

[uncfnp]

My dive buddy is my husband and if I am doing CPR on him a little vomit is the least of my concerns. Clean the mouth out and continue...