Travel,First,Aid,Kits,question travel,insurance Travel First Aid Kits
Like any American, traveling occasionally is just what I love doing and I bet you share the same stuff with me. But traveling does not mean that you would be safe. Escaping from our job and other stressful activities is just something that w Torres del Paine is among the biggest of Chiles national parks, occupying almost 600,000 acres (242,000 ha) of land in the south on the border with Argentina. It is also among the most important, receiving a significant proportion of domes
It's a question travel clinic nurses hear all the time; "I'm going abroad. Do I need to take a travel first aid kit?" OK, maybe not if youre off to gay Paris for the weekend, but in areas where medical facilities aren't on the same level as in the UK its a sensible question. Its always sensible to have first aid equipment when travelling, but if visits are planned to remote areas, where medical facilities may be inadequate, you should take a sterile travel first aid kit containing needles and syringes.In many less developed countries, viruses such as HIV and Hepatitis B and C are rife and can be transferred in the blood. Some countries do not have the same standards as in the UK and equipment used may not be adequately sterilised, blood used for transfusions may not be screened for HIV, Hepatitis B and C. In these situations, a sterile travel first aid kit may prove vital if you are seriously injured.Minor injuries:Cuts, grazes and burns are common when travelling and you should ensure you carry supplies to be able to self-treat any of these ailments. In hot climates where there may be dust or poor hygiene you are more susceptible to infection. Wounds should be cleaned immediately, covered and if any signs of infection develop you should seek urgent medical help.Insurance:Things can go wrong when travelling, accidents can occur or you could get sick or injured on your trip. You might fall off your bike, twist your ankle playing football, or just catch a good old fashioned stomach bug. Ensure you have comprehensive travel insurance that will adequately cover you in the event that you get sick or injured. Pre-existing medical conditions must be disclosed to your insurance company, as non-disclosure could invalidate your claim.Make sure your insurance covers you for all the activities you wish to experience on your travels and includes cover for medical evacuation, personal injury and terrorist activity. A frightening statistic is that only 60% of insurance policies cover terrorism, so make sure you read the small print and have adequate cover.What should I take in my travel first aid kit?The exact contents will vary depending on your specific needs. There are a few key areas you should consider:Emergency Medications: antibiotics for wounds that have become infected, pain killers, prescribed medications should all be kept in their original packaging.Diarrhoea Treatment: oral rehydration saltsare particularly important if you are travelling with children. Prevention is the best cure, so start taking antidiarrhoeal medication from a couple of weeks before you leave. Alcohol hand gel can be useful for when there are no hand washing facilities available.Injuries: a selection of swabs and dressings.Lotions: ointments to treat eye infections (such as chloramphenicol) can be purchased from your local pharmacy, an antibiotic ointment for skin infections such as fucidin and a cream to apply to burns may be useful. An antihistamine cream is useful for treating rashes and insect bites.Equipment: scissors, tweezers, tick removers and safety pins, sterile gloves, a digital thermometer.Mosquitoes: mosquito nets, insect repellents (especially if travelling to areas where malaria and other mosquito borne diseases are present).Sterile Equipment: sterile needles and syringes, intravenous cannula for a drip, suture material for sewing up skin. These should be in a specially designed kit. Do not carry single needles and syringes as customs may suspect they are for drug use. Purchase a specially prepared sterile first aid kit that includes a declaration that the contents are for personal medical use in an emergency.Documentation: first aid book, details of blood group and regular medication, copies of prescriptions if carrying prescribed medication.The author is a travel clinic nurse working closely with World Wide Nets. If youre off travelling, visit them to find an appropriate travel first aid kit.For more information about travel first aid kit visit http://www.worldwidenets.co.uk/first-aid-11-c.asp
Travel,First,Aid,Kits,question