The Not So Basic Medical Skills and Supplies

Over the last couple of weeks Kevin and I talked about trauma kits and supplies. This week Lisa and I continue with the not so basic medical skills and supplies. When I say “not so basic” I mean we are not going to go over band aids and gauze pads, We go over the stuff that you may be confused about.

While some of these are fairly basic, some might be the “I know I need it, but I don’t know why” items, or possibly just a couple that you forgot about all together. When it comes to first aid kits at home, the rule “too much is never enough” absolutely applies.

First aid supplies usually have a very long shelf life, and most are fairly inexpensive. You also don’t need to go out and buy everything all at once. You can get started with the basics, and keep adding to it over the course of time.

SPP232 The Not So Basic Medical skills and Supplies

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As I was doing research for this podcast I came across a fantastic article from Skilled Survival. This article is so detailed that we ended up talking about it for about half of the podcast. Do yourself a favor and check out the article while you are listening, it goes over everything form the basics, to the more advanced.

Topics Covered in the Show

As I said earlier, many of these items are listed on the page, but these are the ones we talked about. We also covered antibiotics, medications and some of the not so common stuff in the Bug Out Bag first aid kits we sell at the SHTFShop.com. 

Tools In Your Medical Kit

We often think so much about the medical supplies themselves that we forget about the tools that go along with them. In the show we covered some of the most common tools, and why you might need them.

• Head Lamps
• Tweezers & Scissors
• Thermometer
• Q-Tips
• trauma shears
• Nail clippers
• Scalpel with blades
• Stethoscope
• Duct Tape

Antibiotics: We didn’t talk very much about antibiotic because we have an entire episode (and Article) that covers everything you need to know about antibiotics in general, and fish antibiotics in general. We also talked about why having a Nursing drug handbook is such a great idea.

OTC Medications: We spent quite a bit of time on this in the show because there are just so many different uses and medications to choose from. We also talked quite a bit about the differences between aspirin, Advil, and ibuprofen.

Silvasorb Gel: If you have listened to our show, you know Lisa loves Silvasorb and hates Neosporin and antibiotic gels. Silvasorb is a little expensive, but well worth the cost. Curad also makes a lower cost alternative.

Blister Treatment: Having a blister is no laughing matter, especially in a SHTF scenario. There are a few options for blister treatment and prevention such as Molefoam, Moleskin and 2nd Skin, I personally like Moleskin.

Diarrhea and Constipation: In a disaster scenario you will be eating long term food and your diet may change, when your diet changes your body might have issues with that. Having medications that will keep you “regular” are a must.

In The BOB Kit

Potassium Permanganate: I did a video a while back about how Potasium Permangenate can be used to treat water, a disinfectant and even get a fire started.

Steri Strips: As most of you know, we don’t recommend doing stitches unless you absolutely know what you are doing. Steri Strips are a great alternative, and a better solution when stitches aren’t necessary.

Medi Honey: For long term wound care and quicker healing, Medi Honey is a wonderful product. Medi Honey is also great for treating burns, abrasions, lacerations, minor cuts.

Mastisol: Mastisol is a liquid medical adhesive used to ensure the integrity of dressing, tapes, and certain devices over an extended period of time. Masitsol is also great for adding a little more sticking power to steristrips.

Xeroform: Xeroform is a petrolatum based gauze, deodorizing, occlusive and non-adhering wound dressing. It also donated moisture to the wound to promote healing.

BOB First Aid Kit Discount

For a limited time I have set up a coupon code at the SHTFShop for anyone who wants the BOB First Aid Kit for just $25. Use the code “bob” (without quotes) at checkout to get the discount.