Medical Kit Suggestions
 

Single handed offshore medical kit

This list is a minimum you should consider having on board.

For most people it is easiest to buy a quality medical kit that has all the basics.

If you have a medical condition that requires prescription medication, make sure you have extra medication in your ditch bag.

Head:

If you are knocked unconscious at any time, when you wake up, call on your radio or sat phone or single side band and get linked up with a physician who can make an assessment of your neurological status.

For all other head bangs, use a cold pack or substitute anything cold in the refrigerator.

Ears:

Antibiotic ear drops (here’s a tip…take your ear lobe between your fingers and wiggle your ear…if it causes you more pain, chances are you have an outer ear infection, otitis externa)

Auragan ear drops for outer ear pain

Oral antibiotics

Eyes:

Eye wash

Antibiotic eye drops or ointment. Sterile eye gauze in case you scratch your cornea.

Mouth:

Chap Stick

Gum analgesic

Extra toothbrush

GI:

Anti nausea medicine.  Pepto Bismol for both nausea and diarrhea

Imodium (for diarrhea)

Prescription suppository for nausea (always good to have incase you are too sick to take anything by mouth, including medication)

Bonine or something for sea sickness

Laxative

Electrolyte packs to mix with water

GU:

Antibiotics for urinary tract infection

Vitamin C or Cranberry to acidify urine.  You may want to consider carrying a urinary catheter on board but make sure you get instructions from your doctor how to use it.

Skin:

Sun block

Hats

Telfa non stick gauze pads

Silvadene antibiotic ointment for burns

1% hydrocortisone cream

Caladryl

Bactraban antibiotic ointment or triple antibiotic over the counter ointment

Good pair of tweezers

Lacerations

Gauze pads (a box of 4x4’s)

Hydrogen peroxide

Tape

Nose packing if you tend to have nose bleeds

Super glue (works great for small lacerations)

Steri strips

Rubbing Alcohol or Betadine

Bones:

Splints, finger, arm and leg ( sail battens make pretty good splints)

Ace wraps at least 2  4 inch wraps and maybe a 6 inch wrap incase you need to wrap your leg

Ice packs

Narcotics of some kind for pain

General OTC:

Ibuprophen or Tylenol

Aspirin

Cold medication

Oral benadryl

Prescription Medications:

Wide spectrum antibiotics

Your own prescription medications and extras (put some in your ditch bag along with sea sickness medication)

Tylenol with codeine, or Vicodin or some other narcotic that you know you are not allergic to.

Other things:

Thermal blankets

Epi pen if you have serious allergies