Even the most perfectly planned vacation can be derailed by a medical emergency. Having personally experienced the stress of requiring unexpected medical attention away from home, I reached out to my favorite health care provider, Mary Stein (RN, NP-C), for some tips on how to better prepare for these scenarios. A Nurse Practitioner based in New York City, Mary specializes in Primary Care & Travel Medicine.
In addition to the fabulous tips listed below, Mary offers more travel medicine advice and complete travel medicine consultations (including yellow fever vaccination) at Plaza East Internal Medicine in Manhattan. Call 212-750-7404 to make an appointment or you can reach Mary at [email protected]. She will usually see you within 24 hours for a travel medicine consultation. Happy Venturing!
Why does the Black Dress Traveler need a first aid kit? Because it’s about being prepared while traveling: in case of a new minor health issue or an upswing in an already existing one. An example of the first would be a minor scrape you get because of being in an unfamiliar environment while on vacation. The second would be treating a bee sting when you already know that you’re allergic. What goes into the traveler’s first aid kit depends on the state of the traveler’s health going into the trip, the destination, the duration and type of excursion. Your first aid kit will look different if you are going on a business trip to Chicago for two days or if you’re going trekking in Nepal for several weeks. There are commercially-prepared first aid kits in travel stores and on the Internet – just check carefully that the kit is appropriate to your needs. You may need to take out some bits and add others; again, depending on where you’re going and what your trip is about.
What should be included in a traveler’s first aid kit?
When you check out our suggestions below, the list may seem lengthy or unwieldy. Again, tailor the list to your needs; you may not need all of the items listed. More importantly, of those that you DO need, you don’t need to bring many of each (i.e., you only need to bring a few Band-Aid adhesive bandages, not the whole box).
First, consider packing a card that contains your demographics, allergies and medication information. In addition, names and phone numbers of local hospitals and clinics put you in the “extremely prepared” traveler category. To really cover all bases, pack a copy of this card in EACH PIECE of luggage!
Your daily medications (may be hard to believe, but travelers are often so preoccupied they forget about these). If you are traveling domestically, forgetting any or all of your daily medications is usually not an issue. A quick phone call to your health care provider and those medications can be called to a nearby pharmacy. Although it’s usually possible to reach your health care provider from anywhere in the world, it may pose a hassle if you are overseas. If you are traveling overseas, we suggest you bring each of your prescriptions in the original containers. If possible, obtain copies of the prescriptions from your provider or the pharmacy. Have your health care provider write a short note if you are carrying unusual amounts of narcotic medications, injectable medications (except for insulin if you’re diabetic) or syringes. It’s also a good idea to have someone back home have copies of each of your prescriptions.
The medications you were prescribed for this trip. This list includes medications like: antimalarial medication, antibiotics in case of diarrhea or respiratory infection, sleeping aids, altitude-sickness medication, medications for anxiety of flying, or Epipens for known allergies.
Other medications you might consider bringing with you:
Antihistamine (nonsedating type like Claritin/loratadine or Zyrtec/sertraline, or Benadryl/diphenhydramine)
Decongestant (Sudafed, but be aware of side effects)
Analgesics for simple pain or fever (Advil/Motrin/ibuprofen or Alleve/naproxen or Tylenol/acetaminophen)
Mild laxative (senna or Swiss Kriss)
Antacid
Antibacterial or antifungal cream or a combination cream
Hydrocortisone 1 % cream
Water purification tablets
First-Aid Items:
Adhesive bandages of different sizes
Gauze (a few 4 x4 gauzes and a small roll of 2 - inch gauze)
First aid tape
ACE- type bandage
Hot/cold pack
Tweezers/small scissors
Antiseptic lotion
Non-latex gloves (2 pair)
Antibacterial hand wipes
Hand sanitizer
Moleskin (for blisters)
Thermometer (digital)
Other items to consider:
Condoms
Plan B
Extra pack(s) of oral contraceptives
Tampons/sanitary pads
Hope this makes your excursion safer and more fun!
