Trauma bags are of great importance. To help you better understand exactly what it is and does, here are top 3 questions mostly asked about the trauma bag.
What are the differences between a trauma bag and a first aid bag?
A trauma bag is meant to handle serious life-threatening injuries to keep a victim alive until there is access to or the arrival of skilled healthcare such as a hospital or doctor.
On the other hand, the first aid bag is meant for handling very basic and external injuries such as everyday scrapes and cuts, and in this case, skilled healthcare will most likely not be required.
There are three different types of products that can be chosen for the trauma bag and the first aid bag, and choosing the number of items should be based on the type of kit that is being made. The three different products are
Prevention: These are products that will help in preventing injuries.
Action: These are products used when the injury has already occurred and aim to prevent discomfort, pain, or even death.
Recover & Stabilize: These are products used to help relieve discomfort or pain and help speed up the process of recovery.
Most likely, the trauma bag will contain a smaller amount of products than the first aid kit, but they have to be arranged in a way that will make them easy to find when in an emergency.
Trauma bags are also costlier than first aid bags due to the price of the items in them. The trauma bag contains products that are way more specialized.
What should be contained in a trauma bag?
Since the trauma bag is related to life-saving events, the essential items need to be packed in the trauma bag. Some of the items that should be contained in the bag include
Tourniquet
Tourniquets have been proven to be an effective and safe means to stop severe hemorrhaging from extremities. This is like the number one item you must have in the trauma bag.
Pressure dressing
Pressure dressings can be used for multiple things when you are rendering help to a trauma victim. They can be used for bandaging to help prevent direct pressure, like a splint, sling, and junctional wound pressure device.
Chest Seals
They are on puncture wounds (such as gunshot wounds) or deep cuts in the abdomen, neck, and chest. They help to prevent air from entering and building up, which ultimately leads to collapsing of the lungs.
Wound Packing
They help to soak up any drainage from deep wounds or wounds that go into the skin, helping the tissues to recover from inside out.
Emergency Blanket
They are used to prevent heat loss in a victim's body that could be caused by water evaporation, thermal radiation, and convection.
What is the expiration time of trauma kit contents?
Most of the content of the trauma bag is sterilized by radiation, and they have a typical expiration date of 3-5 years, or they can be damaged by moisture, exposure to air, and frequent usage. So, therefore, it is necessary to review the items in your trauma bag regularly and, if there is a need, replace any of the medical supplies.
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