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The First Aid Kit

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The First Aid Kit

OSHA recommends a list of the minimally acceptable number and type of supplies for first aid kits in general industries. These kits are intended for use in small worksites that comprise up to three employees. If a work area is larger with more employees, additional first aid kits must be made available. 

A typical first aid kit should contain the following:

  1. Hand sanitizer
  2. Gauze pads (4” x 4”)
  3. Two large gauze pads (8” x 10”)
  4. One box of adhesive bandages
  5. One package gauze roller bandage (at least 2” wide)
  6. Two triangular bandages
  7. Wound cleaning agents (sealed towelettes, antiseptics, burn treatment)
  8. Eyewash
  9. Scissors
  10. One blanket
  11. Tweezers
  12. Adhesive tape
  13. Non-latex gloves
  14. Resuscitation equipment (bag-mask, airway adjuncts, pocket mask)
  15. Two elastic wraps
  16. Eye shield
  17. Protective eyewear
  18. Chemical cold pack
  19. Splint
  20. Directions for requesting emergency assistance
  21. Flashlight

First aid kit components.

Aid Kit Components

Key Directives for First Aid

  1. Ensure that the scene is safe for the responder and the patient. 
  2. Call for help.  
  3. Use personal protective equipment from a well-stocked first aid kit.
  4. Try to find the problem.
  5. Always protect the patient’s privacy.

Scene Safety

Although the injured person should not be moved unless necessary, responders should gently move them to safety if they are in danger, particularly in situations involving water or traffic.

Call for Help

If others are around, they should be directed to call the emergency help number (usually 911). If the responder is alone, they should use their phone to call for help. They should always call for help if the injured person:

  • Is unresponsive.
  • Complains of chest pain or trouble breathing.
  • Has symptoms of a stroke.
  • Has a severe burn or injury.
  • Has had an electrical shock.
  • Has had a seizure.
  • Has bleeding that you cannot control.
  • Has been exposed to a poison.
  • Suddenly cannot move.

Personal Protective Equipment

Responders should be sure to have a first aid kit with them that contains non-latex gloves. They should always wear gloves if available and avoid unnecessary contact with blood or bodily fluids. It is important to utilize a shield if giving mouth-to-mouth breathing. Responders should practice hand hygiene before and after giving first aid. See the videos for handwashing tips and donning and removing gloves.

Patient Assessment

Systematic approach to critically ill or injured patient.

The Systematic Approach to a Critically Ill or Injured Patient


Related Video: Understanding the Systematic Approach


Initial Impression

The first aid responder visually checks the injured person and the situation while approaching the individual to assess the situation’s gravity. If the patient seems to be critically ill or injured, the first aid responder must activate the emergency response system to summon help.

Determining the Level of Consciousness

The first aid responder checks the patient and determines their level of consciousness by tapping on their shoulder and asking clearly, “ARE YOU OK?” If not already done, the responder shouts for help and activates the emergency response system.

First aid responder.

First aid responder kneeling beside patient

Assessment: The Conscious Patient

If the patient is CONSCIOUS, the primary assessment is performed. 

The primary assessment has the ABCDE mnemonic, which the rescuer must utilize until EMS arrives. The ABCDE mnemonic is:

  1. A = airway: Maintain airway patency by moving the patient into a comfortable position. Ensure that there are no spinal injuries before moving. Check for the presence of a foreign body, fluid, or secretions in the patient’s mouth and nose that may obstruct the airway.

Related Whiteboard: How to Maintain Airway Patency


  1. B = breathing: Determine that the patient has adequate breathing. Check their ease of breathing. Supply them with oxygen (when available) if there is an increase in breathing effort. 
  2. C = circulation: Check for the patient’s pulse. When a sphygmomanometer is available and someone is present who can use it, monitor the patient’s blood pressure (preferably every 15 minutes or with any significant changes).

Pulse locations.

Pulse Locations

  1. D = disability: The first aid responder must continue to monitor the patient’s level of consciousness. It is helpful to use the AVPU mnemonic to assess the patient’s neurologic function quickly. A = alert, V = verbal, P = pupils, and U = unresponsive. The patient may be conscious in the beginning but may later feel lethargic, anxious, or agitated. These are signs that the patient’s status is worsening. If the person is coherent while conversing, this is a sign of good neurologic function. The pupillary light reflex should be assessed by flashing a light on the pupils and determining if they constrict equally. The pupillary reflex is also an indication of neurologic function.
  2. E = exposure: A whole-body patient survey is performed to look for signs of trauma, burns, active bleeding, cuts, wounds, and other unusual markings. The responder can move or remove some clothing for the examination if it does not expose the patient to hypothermia.

Related Video: Understanding the Steps of the Primary Assessment


Assessment: The Unconscious Patient

When a first responder attends to an unconscious person, the responder must perform the BLS assessment. The BLS assessment is part of the CPR/AED process. That will be discussed later in the course.

Protecting the Patient’s Privacy

When responders provide first aid, they may learn private information about the people they help. When EMS arrives, they will need all of the information available. This information should not be given to anyone else, such as bystanders, even if they ask.