First Aid & Emergencies

Self-Care Supplies

More of your health care takes place in your home than anywhere else. Having the right tools, medicines, supplies, and information on hand is important for your self-care.

Most of the tools below don't cost a lot. They are easy to use and can be bought at most drugstores and grocery stores.

These are helpful first-aid supplies:

• Adhesive strips, such as Band-Aids, in assorted sizes
• Adhesive tape, 1 in. (2.5 cm) wide
• Butterfly bandages
• Cotton balls
• Elastic ("Ace") bandage, 3 in. (7.6 cm) wide
• Hand sanitizer
• Medical gloves
• Roll of gauze bandage, 2 in. (5.1 cm) wide
• Safety pins
• Sterile gauze pads, 2 in. (5.1 cm) square
• Tweezers

These are helpful self-care tools to have on hand:

• Blood pressure cuff
• Cold pack
• Dental mirror
• Eyedropper
• Heating pad
• Humidifier or vaporizer
• Medicine spoon
• Nail clippers
• Penlight
• Pillbox
• Scissors
• Stethoscope
• Thermometer

If you have children younger than age 6, consider adding:

• Bulb aspirator or syringe.
• Otoscope, an instrument with a light that you can use to look into the ear canal.
• Rectal thermometer.