Be prepared this December

What to pack in your first aid kit

December is a month when South Africans go off on holiday with their loved ones to bask in the sun at the beach, take in the fresh mountain air or visit their relatives in other parts of the country. One hopes that during this time nothing will go wrong and everyone will remain safe. However, because you can never predict the future it is always best to be prepared, particularly if you are going to be away from your home in unfamiliar surroundings.

As part of the Government Employees Medical Scheme's (GEMS) on-going effort to educate our members and future members on a range of healthcare topics, we would like to share real life member stories with you and explore certain important healthcare issues. This article looks at the subject of what to pack in your first aid kit for the holidays.

Elmarie Jacobs* is a mother of four whose husband works for the Department of Trade and Industry. Every year they pack up their family and head to Richard's Bay for the holidays and each time they have a wonderful trip and plenty of fond memories to take home with them. However, last year something unexpected happened on the Jacobs' holiday, which could have resulted in the permanent injury of their youngest child if they had not been prepared with a well-stocked first aid kit.

An accident
One evening Elmarie and her husband were watching the sunset from the beach while their children played with a soccer ball near by. "I remember what happened as if it was yesterday because it gave me such a shock," recalls Elmarie. "The beach was almost deserted and it was a perfectly clear and calm evening until we suddenly heard our youngest child, Michael, screaming and our three other children calling out to us in panicked voices."

"My husband and I ran over to where the children had been playing and found Michael lying on the sand screaming in pain, blood pouring from the area around his right eye. He had tripped and fallen on a rock near the edge of the sea and had a gash through his eyebrow that extended right down, cutting through his eyelid. Fortunately, our first aid kit was close at hand in my beach bag and I was able to cover the eye with a special eye dressing that I had packed in the kit. I was terrified that he had been blinded in that eye but hoped that the dressing would hold him over until we could get back to the car, which was parked far away, and take him to the hospital."

A close call
After waiting at the hospital while Michael received treatment the Jacobs' were informed that they were extremely fortunate. Although Michael had to have stitches the wound was going to heal and he would be able to see perfectly well. According to the nurse Elmarie's swift action and the fact that she had immediate access to the eye dressing assisted in delaying infection of Michael's eye until they could get him to the hospital. This contributed to the successful treatment of his wound.

Packing your first aid kit
There are different kinds of first aid kits and what you pack may depend on where you may need to use the kit, for example, in the car, on a hiking trail or in a foreign country. However, there are some basics that should be included in any first aid kit. These are itemised in the list below.

What to include in your first aid kit:

• 4 packs of sterile gauze
• Adhesive, hypoallergenic tape
• Adhesive bandages in several sizes
• 2 triangular elastic bandages
• 2 crepe roller bandages, 1 large and 1 small
• 2 large and 2 small sterile dressings
• 2 sterile eye dressings
• 2 eye pads with bandages
• 1 pack of sterile cotton wool swabs
• Assorted plasters
• Antiseptic wipes
• Antibiotic cream
• 1 pack of paracetamol tablets, including liquid paracetamol
• Rehydration sachets
• Any extra prescription medication (if going away on holiday)
• Tweezers
• Sharp scissors
• 6 safety pins
• Face cloth
• Thermometer
• 2 pairs of gloves
• Torch and spare batteries
• List of emergency contact numbers e.g. ambulance, family doctor, paediatrician etc.

Close at hand
It is important to remember that even the most well equipped first aid kit is worthless unless you have quick and easy access to it. Medical emergencies can happen at any time and you may not be within close range of a healthcare facility. It is therefore vital to keep your first aid kit on you at all times, whether it is in your backpack, beach bag or car.

As proven in Michael's case a first aid kit can assist in lessening the severity of any damage done during an accident and improve the chances of successful treatment at a healthcare facility. So make sure that you and your loved ones are equipped for any eventualities that may take place over the holidays by packing a proper first aid kit.

If you would like to know how GEMS can assist you to obtain more information about any of your healthcare needs, you can contact the GEMS call centre on 0860 00 4367 or send a SMS to 083 450 4367. GEMS will assist you in every way possible to ensure your family's health and well-being.

Sources:

WebMD - www.webmd.com
FamilyDoctor - www.familydoctor.org
The Mayo Clinic - www.mayoclinic.com

*The members' names have been changed to protect their identity.