What medical supplies should you have at home? List and more
Medical supplies that can be useful to keep in the home include bandages, pain relief medications, antiseptics, and cold packs. People with chronic health conditions may also need to keep additional medical supplies in their homes.
Medical supplies that individuals keep in their homes can range from first aid equipment to medical devices for managing chronic conditions.
This article discusses which medical supplies are useful to keep in the home, how to store them safely, and when to speak with a healthcare professional for advice.Useful medical supplies to help provide first aid for wounds include: bandages of various sizes
adhesive bandages of various sizes
butterfly bandages for taping minor cuts
elastic wraps for ankle, wrist, knee, and elbow injuries
gauze pads and rolls for larger cuts or scrapes
a triangular bandage for making an arm sling or wrapping injuries
sterile scissors for cutting bandages or gauze
antiseptic wipes, cream, or spray to disinfect wounds
medical tape for keeping gauze in place
tweezers for removing small foreign objects from the skin, such as bee stingers, splinters, or ticks
safety pins for securing bandages or splints
disposable gloves for reducing the risk of infection and protecting hands when treating open wounds
eyewash for eye injuries » Learn more:What to know about open wound care
The NHS recommends considering the following tips for storing medical supplies: Ensure any medications and other medical supplies are within the use-by date.
Check if medications need to be stored above or below a certain temperature.
Keep medical supplies organized so they are easy to find.
Store medical supplies in a secure place away from children.
If a person has a complex medication regimen, such as taking multiple medications each day, they may benefit from using a pill organizer box and setting reminders for when to take each medication.
A person does not need to purchase large quantities of the supplies in this article. An appropriate quantity may vary depending on individual factors.
For example, someone who experiences frequent irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) flare-ups with diarrhea may use rehydration salts more often than those who only experience diarrhea occasionally. Therefore, the former may typically keep two boxes of rehydration salts in their home, while the latter may keep one box.
However, ensuring that supplies such as bandages, gauze, and adhesive bandages are available in a variety of sizes can help with various injuries. A person may be able to buy a pack of these supplies in one box of a range of sizes.
By keeping medical supplies at home, a person may be able to treat minor injuries and common illnesses, such as colds and flu, without visiting a healthcare professional.
However, a person should call 911 or their local emergency number immediately if someone is experiencing symptoms of a serious medical event, such as a stroke or heart attack
is involved in a serious accident, such as a car accident
is unconscious and unresponsive
experiences sudden changes in vision, breathing, mobility, or mental state
is experiencing severe bleeding
People also need to contact their doctor if they experience any new symptoms that do not go away within a few days or worsening symptoms of a chronic condition.
Medical supplies useful for keeping in the home include wound care supplies, such as bandages, and pain relief supplies, such as over-the-counter medications and cold packs. A person may also want to keep medical supplies for common conditions, such as colds, flu, and diarrhea.
People with chronic conditions may need to keep additional medical supplies, such as prescription medications and medical devices, in their homes.
A person can speak with a healthcare professional for advice about what medical supplies to keep in their home.
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