Has anyone used this bandage?<br>it says on chinook med gear that it can be used as a primary dressing, pressure aplicator, secondy dressing or as a tourniquet. would it be worth adding to a personal first aid kit?

It looks to me not significantly different in concept from the standard Canadian Army Field Dressings that we were issued back when I was a soldier. It's a sterile dressing that's attached to some sort of roller bandage. I don't see how or why it's a "major innovation" from any of the descriptions I can find, except that it appears to weigh much less (about a fifth of an ounce?).<br>Assuming it's not outrageously expensive and not ridiculously bulky (I doubt it's the latter, somehow) I would happily pick up a couple and throw them in my first aid kit; if space permits, putting one with a PSK would be a much better idea than the ubiquitous bandaids and aspirin tablets that so many seem to prefer.<br>If I read correctly, North American Rescue Products (www.narescue.com) sells a pack of 100 of these for $6.75 - how could you go wrong? Unfortunately, NARescue has a $10 surcharge for any order under $100. :-( <br>The only thing I would be cautious about is that, as it's an elastic "ACE type" bandage, it would be very easy to apply too much pressure and turn a pressure bandage into a tourniquet. <br>If I can find an alternative source for them where the price is right, I would love to pick up a box for my own first aid kit.<br>Saying it has "four uses in one" is just marketing hype, though. I've no idea what the difference between a "primary dressing" and a "secondary dressing" is, for one thing; a dressing without a way to apply pressure is useless; and hardly any medical organizations endorse the use of a tourniquet nowadays except in very rare cases as a last resort.

Thanks for the reply.<br>I may be wrong but i think a secondary dressing is used when blood has soaked through the first dressing. The second dressing is fastend over the top of the first to apply more pressure.

Sounds logical - we teach in First Aid that if that happens, you simply apply more dressings, we don't have a name for it. But in any event, it's no big deal - any "primary dressing" can do that; so can any reasonable absorbent cloth, sterile or not. <br>It's like saying a knife is multi-functional because it can cut paper, it can cut rope, it can be used to perform field amputations, and it has a handle that you can use to hold it. I don't consider that "multifunctional" LOL<br>But basically, a 2 oz Field dressing that costs about 7 cents each (if I understand the price correctly) is a pretty good buy in my book.

It's $6.75 apiece, I'm sure - check commercial prices on "Blood Stoppers" elsewhere... it seems to be too good of a deal if it's 6.75 a hundred

I don't see any advantage to this item over conventional FA kit items.<br>It is certainly not a "major inovation"

Being a creature of habit... I prefer field dressings. I know how to use them and I know they work.<br>OTOH, I've used whatever came to hand on some occasions, even pressure points. No "T" s on the foreheads so far, though <grin> - like to keep it that way, too.

One other good trauma dressing that can be gotten cheap is menstrual pads. Very good at soaking up large quantities of fluids plus waterproof on one side. And they even double for their original intended use if you're female or living/camping/surviving with or treating females.

haha! Yeah "T" on the forehead and the time "T" was applied !<br><br><br>

Exactly!

All right, Tom, Chris,<br><br>For some of us slow witted types, what does the "T" stand for? ;-}<br><br>John

T for tourniquet.<br><br>If you apply a tourniquet, you must mark a "T" so that it is plainly visible to Emergency Medical personnel, and also the time that the tourniquet was applied so they know how long it's been on.

spot on! <br><br>

I think you are correct. We use a Canadian version of this application and it costs us $4 per unit at wholesale. The one we use is an elastic bandage similiar to what is used for sprains complete with thick blood pads.<br><br>Mariner.

DUH!<br><br>Aard, Thanks a lot for the information.<br><br>John

Hello!<br>I dont know if its the same but i´ve read somewhere about it. Its supposed to have a plastic clip on the roll of bandage. This makes it possible to apply the dressing with one hand(?!) and to use it as a torniquett. As I said, I only read about it but if it were to work, it sure woud be good. On the other hand, ordinary first-aids/field dressings/trauma pads (whats the correct term?) are probably cheaper. I think that the Israeli type were more expensive than the normal types.<br><br>Stefan, Sweden<br>(Nurse-in-training)

You're welcome. I'm just surprised I beat Beachdoc and Trusbx to the punch. ;-)