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Wound Care Supplies
Wound care supplies are part of your first aid kit. In addition to the basics listed here, don't forget that stings and bites are wounds too and need to be considered as you build your first aid kit.
Whether you have kids or not, everyone should have basic first aid supplies in their home, including wound care supplies. Wounds are a very common injury in homes, due to the many different tools that we use every single day, from a kitchen knife to a hammer. Basic wound care supplies should be found in every home, because when you need them, you need them now and not later. What are some of the basic wound care supplies that you should make sure that your first aid kit is stocked with?
- Adhesive bandages
A variety of different adhesive bandages sizes comes in quite handy for the various wounds that can happen. Whether a large wound to a paper cut, using these adhesive bandages can help stop the bleeding and can keep the wound covered for protection. Butterfly bandages should be included in your variety, as they can be used to pull a wound together until either you can get medical attention or until the wound can heal. If you have children, you will be amazed at how a simple cartoon bandage can turn tears into smiles. - Gauze pads
Sterile gauze pads is used for many different purposes in wound care. From using the pads to clean a wound to using them to cover a wound that cannot be covered with adhesive bandages, you will find that they come in handy in your first aid kit. - Adhesive tape
Adhesive tape is used with the gauze pads or rolled gauze to cover a wound. - Ice pack
Although most people do not think of an ice pack in treating wounds, it comes in quite handy in relieving pain and inflammation in many types of wounds. - Antibiotic ointment
An antibiotic ointment like Neosporin or Polysporin should be a staple in any first aid kit. Applying this ointment to wounds can help lessen the chance of infection and thus speed healing. - Antiseptic wipes
Having these in your first aid kit allows you to get the wound as clean as possible before bandaging it. This can decrease infections and irritation. - Gloves
Latex, nitrile or plastic gloves keep you and the patient safe. Body fluids can carry disease so you want to avoid coming in contact with it. That disease and germ transmission can happen both ways, so gloves keep the patient safer too. - First aid manual
Unless you are very knowledgeable about first aid, this is a handy tool for when you are faced with a wound that requires more information than you have. By tucking it into your first aid kit, you can be sure that you will be able to locate it when you need it.
This list is not exhaustive, but gives you a basic list of wound care supplies that you may need to take care of minor wounds. By planning ahead, you can be prepared to take care of any minor wounds that you or your family members may have. This can take some of the anxiety out of the situation for you and the one injured.
