First Aid Kits

Accidents happen in child care settings despite the best prevention. A well-stocked first aid kit is an absolute must for responding to injuries and medical emergencies.

Suggested Supplies for a First Aid Kit

According to the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services, each first-aid kit in your child care program must contain at least the following supplies:

 Adhesive tape  Antiseptic solution or wipes  Cotton balls  Multi-size adhesive bandages  Scissors  Sterile gauze pads  Thermometer (preferably non-glass)  Tweezers  Waterproof, disposable gloves

Additional supplies that might come in handy include:

 Rolled sterile gauze  Small splints  Elastic wrap (e.g. Ace bandage)  Breathing barrier for giving CPR  Triangular bandages (rectangle cloth for  Small blanket sling)  Petroleum jelly or other lubricant (for body  Safety pins and/or a needle parts stuck in tight places)  Rubber bulb syringe (to rinse out wounds)  Small plastic cups  Sterile eyewash (e.g. saline solution)  Plastic bags for ice or a commercial cold  Clean cloth pack  Bottled water & liquid hand soap  Plastic bags for disposing of contaminated  Cotton-tipped swabs materials  Pen, pencil and note pad  Emergency contact info and signed emergency release forms for each child Where to Keep First Aid Kits

Store your kits somewhere adults can get to them easily, but out of children’s reach. At minimum, keep one kit in each building in your program, and you must have one on hand any time you transport children and on field trips. Many programs choose to have one kit per room/group so caregivers can access supplies without leaving children unsupervised. Additional kits can be kept in common areas like kitchens, offices, or playgrounds (in waterproof containers). In a family child care home, you might keep a portable first aid kit in the main area where children play and a second kit in the kitchen. Some programs have portable kits that can be carried outside for outdoor play or during evacuations.

Wherever you store your first aid kits, all adults in the program need to know where they are located. This should be part of the orientation procedure in your program, and the kits should be kept in the same places all the time so everyone knows where to find them. First aid kits should also be clearly labeled. While not a requirement, it is also a good idea to post a sign indicating the location of each kit.

Maintaining First Aid Kits

First aid kits need to be kept in a clean, sanitary manner. This means storing all supplies in a closed, portable container, with the contents arranged in an orderly fashion and restocked after each use. Give your kits regular checkups. Mark your calendar to check your kits at least every three months. Replace supplies that have been used or have expired, and replace damaged containers. Consider including a checklist of the supplies to monitor what’s been used, and a log to document periodic checks.

First Aid Training and Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR)

Even the best first aid supplies are useless if you don’t know how to use them. Though DFPS Child Care Licensing only requires certain caregivers to be trained in CPR/First Aid, all caregivers benefit from this training, and many programs require all caregivers to be certified. The best trainings will focus on CPR/First Aid for infants and children, not just adults. Even if your program doesn’t require you to have this training, you can seek it out for yourself by contacting local hospitals or the American Red Cross. This training needs to be repeated periodically to keep your skills sharp, and to be prepared to respond in an emergency.

Sources: Adapted from, “First Aid in Child Care.” eXtension, (2012). http://www.extension.org/pages/25746/first-aid-in-child-care#.VNkW-J3F9ig