In this article, we will be discussing certain items you must consider including in your travel first aid kit. A successful and memorable travel kit needs to be planned with travel safety in mind to ensure everyone gets home happily at the end of the trip.

Some of the items mentioned will be found in general first aid kits as well, while some of the items will be more relevant to the travel context.

Nitrile exam gloves
Nitrile exam gloves are very thin synthetic gloves that are a must-have for every first aid kit, especially a travel first aid kit. 

Nitrile gloves provide protection to the person providing first aid, as well as protection to the person receiving the first aid. They make sure that neither party can contaminate the other person.

They are similar to latex gloves but are stronger and also have a lower allergy rating than latex. 

Nitrile gloves are a single-use item, like many other things in a first aid kit, so it's important to have multiple pairs in your kit, in the event you need to use your kit multiple times in a short period of time, or you need to treat multiple people.

Sterile gauze roll 
Gauze is one of the most versatile components of a travel first aid kit. It can be used for cleaning an area, packing around a wound, scrubbing a wound in preparation for treatment, covering a wound, and can also be used for securing a wound in a safe manner.

It comes in multiple different shapes and sizes, it can also be sterile and non-sterile. 

Given its versatility gauze should be included in every travel first aid kit.

Trauma dressing
A trauma dressing is a special type of bandage that is most commonly used to treat open wounds. The trauma dressing covers open wounds to help keep out foreign substances, objects and other dirt and debris.

There are a variety of different dressing techniques. You can learn more about these by watching videos online, reading information or attending a Skills Training Group course.

Alcohol wipes
Alcohol wipes are small wipes, in a sterile container, soaked in an alcohol solution that can be used to treat wounds, cleanse wounds and protect wounds. They come in various shapes and sizes and also come in packets with varying quantities.

Sunscreen
If you are traveling, then sunscreen should definitely be in your first aid kit. You will most likely carry sunscreen in some form in your luggage or handbag, but you should also include some in your first aid kit in case of emergencies.

CPR face shield
CPR is a very common first aid requirement, as a result, your travel first aid kit should include a CPR face shield. 

A CPR face shield is a see-through synthetic sheet with a breathing valve in the middle that you place over the face of the person requiring CPR. 

The CPR provider then puts their face over the face shield and breathes through the valve. This face shield makes CPR safer than it otherwise would be if two strangers had unprotected contact with their mouths.

Bandage scissors
A bandage is notoriously difficult to cut with regular scissors, so it is imperative that your first aid kit, even for travel, includes a special pair of bandage scissors, so you can quickly and easily shop your bandage at the required point, at the required length.

Though it may not seem like an important item, the potential consequences of not having bandage scissors can be significant, as you could be left not being able to prepare the appropriate dressings for an important wound.

First aid tape 
First aid tape assists in holding wound dressing on wounds, and keeping bandages in place, so ensure your travel first aid kit includes a sufficient amount of first aid tape.

Burn gel
Burn gel is a very valuable substance to include in your travel first aid kit. Burn gel provides temporary relief in situations where someone has a minor burn. It cools the skin, without trapping the heat on the burn and then dries in a way that doesn't leave the wound feeling sticky or itchy.

Eyewash bottle
Eye wash bottles give you a bottle of a special solution that is very effective at dislodging irritants in the eye, in a sterile way. 

In many cases, you could use another water source to try and flush out someone's eye, but there is always the potential that the water you are using, especially if traveling, is contaminated in some way and the water could potentially add further injury to the eye. 

Burn dressing
Burns require very specific treatment, to ensure that the burn injury does not become aggravated.  

Ensure that your travel first aid kit includes dedicated burn dressings that will not stick to the skin when being removed, and that let the heat out, not trapping it in.

Considerations for your travel first aid kit

Check your first aid supply levels before each trip
It is imperative that you check and replenish your travel first aid kit supply levels, before each big trip. Your first aid kit will not be any good to you if it doesn't include the essential components we have discussed in this article. 

A good way to ensure you don't forget to check your first aid supplies is to include a first aid kit assessment item on your travel preparation checklist if you have one, or set yourself a calendar reminder on your smartphone to assess your phone first aid supplies at a certain time each year. 

We recommend that you assess your supplies at least four times per year, especially after you have to use your kit.

Check your first aid supply expiry date
In addition to regularly checking your first aid supply levels, it is also important to regularly check the expiry date of the different components in your first aid kit. 

Certain aspects of your kit will not have an expiry date, but other items in the kit will definitely have an expiry date, and it's one you should pay close attention to.  

Checking the expiry date of your first aid supplies does not need to be done as regularly as checking your supply levels in general.  

We recommend checking the expiry dates of the equipment in your first aid kit once every year.

Travel first aid kit size
The size of your travel first aid kit should vary depending on the nature of travel you are doing and the number of people that will be in your group. 

For example, if your travel is going to take you a long way from conventional medical services, then you should have a first aid kit that contains more supplies with the ability to treat more different injuries, than if you plan to stay within easy reach of medical facilities.

Also, if you're traveling solo, then you could probably get away with a small kit with a small number of important items, whereas if you are a large family, then you may want to pack a large number of some of the typically high use items like Bandaids, bandages, and gauze dressings.
Summary

This article has provided a list of things you should definitely consider when preparing a travel first aid kit. Though your particular needs may vary, depending on where you are going, and how long, the above items will typically be relevant in most travel scenarios.