Thousands of patients die in hospitals around the world every year because of contaminated medical equipment. The number of deaths can be reduced dramatically if hospital authorities put more emphasis on cleaning, disinfecting and sterilizing patient care instruments. Chemical sterilization of medical instruments is of utmost importance because doing so saves lives that may be unnecessarily lost. Here are just some of the reasons why chemical sterilization is necessary for medical instruments. Continue reading →

Nurses are looking for a personal stethoscope as an essential accessory for their daily work. These days, a person who wears a scrub and carries a stethoscope is no longer necessarily a doctor; she could easily be a nurse. A good, accurate and reliable stethoscope is an important piece of equipment for every nurse because it is she who examines and interacts with the patients most of the time. So here are some advices on how to choose the best stethoscopes for nurses.

There are two major types of stethoscopes: the traditional acoustic device and the relatively newer electronic stethoscopes. The former is still more widely used because it is cheaper, but the latter is catching up because its price is reasonable. It is possible that there will soon come a day when acoustic stethoscopes, which are so prevalent today, will become an object of rarity. Continue reading →

Most people are familiar with the standard mercury thermometer and the relatively newer digital thermometers used by doctors and nurses. But there are actually several different types of thermometers for use in different environments and for different purposes. As instruments to measure temperature, they have a wide range of applications, including medical, scientific and engineering.

Here are some of the different types of thermometers in use today and their advantages: Continue reading →

Disposable latex powdered gloves have been in use in medical and laboratory applications for many years. They are used to protect the wearer from toxic chemicals and biological matter. However, since its early days, repeated exposure to latex powder has been known to be harmful to humans. According to the US FDA, between 5 and 20 percent of health workers who regularly come into contact with latex develop allergic reactions ranging from mild irritations to death, as in the case of lab worker Karen Wetterhahn who died of repeated exposure in 1997. Continue reading →

Emergency first aid kits consist of essential equipment that can save your life or the life of your friends and family in case of an accident or injury. Whether you keep it in the car, at home, or at the office, the emergency first aid equipment helps you respond positively and effectively in case of an unpleasant event. The kits may be purchased pre-assembled, or they may be assembled by you. Whichever the case, here is the equipment that it should contain: Continue reading →

From nurses to physicians, all general healthcare personnel are required to wear examination gloves. Examination gloves are essential for the protection and safety of both patients and physicians. Technology advancements have enhanced the development of various types of examination gloves in the healthcare industry made of materials such as vinyl, latex, and nitrile. Although they serve the same purpose, examination gloves are different depending on the material they are made of. Here are the main differences between latex, vinyl, and nitrile examination gloves: Continue reading →

Most people know that first aid refers to the immediate medical care that’s given to someone who has been injured or has fallen ill.  Technically speaking, first aid might refer to something as basic as cleaning a small cut and applying a bandage to something as serious as a heart attack or stroke.  Proper first aid training will prepare you to handle all manner of different situations, and it really is important for everyone to at least a basic knowledge of first aid techniques.  Continue reading →

There probably isn’t anyone you’ll encounter that actually enjoys thinking about how they would go about surviving a disaster, but that doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be done.  Preparation is the name of the game when it comes to surviving a disaster.  With any luck you’ll never have to apply what you learn or utilize any element of a disaster survival kit, but if you do, having the right tools could end up saving your life.  At The First Aid Zone, we offer several kits that include emergency survival supplies.

Roadside Help
For many people, their emergency situation occurs while in their vehicle.  This could be something as simple as running out of gas in a rural area to being in a serious accident.  Our emergency roadside distress kit includes a wide variety of emergency rescue supplies and first aid supplies that are perfect for a motorist in distress.  The kit includes important items such as: Continue reading →

Medical equipment is just one of the types of products that have found an online customer base in Canada.  Whether you work for a small clinic or a larger facility, buying online can get you great deals and high quality equipment.  Here are 3 tips to help make it happen and ensure you are getting good quality medical equipment online. Continue reading →

Boating is something that appeals to all sorts of different people from all walks of life. Although it is largely considered a leisure activity, it is still important to keep safety in mind.  The fact that you are out on the water, sometimes far from shore, for long periods of time, is enough to raise the caution level.  Every vessel that ventures out onto the water should have a marine first aid kit. With summer just around the corner, here are five things that you should gather for your marine first aid kit and store on your boat:

1.  Bandages

Naturally, keeping several different kinds of bandages in your marine first aid kit is a good idea.  This list should include different-sized basic adhesive bandages, butterfly style bandages and different shapes and sizes of gauze.  You might also want to add a tensor bandage or two on the off-chance someone sprains an ankle or wrist while out on the water.  Continue reading →