First Aid Kit Recommendations For Treating Burns
By Garnett Johnston
In my opinion every home should have a first aid kit and that kit should include the necessary items to treat burns. Common causes of burns in the home will usually happen in the kitchen but can occur from spilling hot coffee to touching a hot stove. With the right first aid kit on hand you can treat these injuries effectively and then seek medical care when appropriate.
In the workplace however there can be more causes for such burns and the first aid kit will need to be
stocked for the treatment of these burns. For example, it maybe that you are someone who works with caustic chemicals, welding equipment or an open flame of some sort. A first aid burns kit is therefore crucial in such an environment.
It is not enough to simply have first aid supplies for cuts and scrapes, there is a need to have the right
equipment and supplies specifically to provide first aid to victims of burning.
A first aid kit for burns should contain sterile gloves, medical tape, scissors, non-stick sterile dressings,
gauze’s, and possibly cold packs. Recent advances in first aid care means that some off-the-shelf first aid kits now come with water-gel dressings specifically for burns treatment. These also come in various sizes to suit different needs. Your first aid kit should have an antiseptic hand cleanser for the person that will administer the treatment. To treat potential burns to the eyes – typically occurring from chemical spray, burns kit should contain at least one liter of sterile water for flooding the eye to remove the chemical as much as possible and sterile eye pads.
As with any burns treatment your first act should be to remove the cause of the burn whether it came from electrical, thermal or chemical source. Flush the burn with cool water for about 20 minutes being careful not to numb the area.
If severe burns have been experienced there is always the possibility for the victim to go into a state of
shock – this can be life threatening and thus immediate medical attention should be sought. Shock can be
assumed if the victim complains of dizziness or feels cold or clammy to touch – as a result of not enough blood flow to the lungs, heart, and brain. The victim should be made to lie down with the feet and legs elevated above the heart. If in any doubt as to whether the victim may be in shock always assume the worst and call for medical help.
Remember, the purpose of a first aid kit is to allow you to administer first aid to your patient until the
proper medical help arrives or until you get the patient to the emergency room. Your first aid kit will allow you to reduce the amount of damage to the victim during this period and it is thus important to ensure it contains the right supplies for treating burns as well as the usual cuts and scratches which are probably more common but maybe not so severe.
A good first aid course is always recommended for anyone who may need to administer first aid in their
employment area.
If you would like to find out more detailed information on
href="http://www.basicfirstaidcare.com">basic first aid, please pay a visit to our site. First aid care is
crucial in many situations and is needed for all sort of unexpected injuries. Go now to
href="http://www.basicfirstaidcare.com">http://www.basicfirstaidcare.com We hope you find the details
on first aid that you need.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Garnett_Johnston
http://EzineArticles.com/?First-Aid-Kit-Recommendations-For-Treating-Burns&id=110006
