What should you check when buying first aid refill supplies?

Before ordering, check the kit’s own contents list and match each refill to the item and amount it calls for. Then check the package, expiry date where there is one, and storage instructions.

Match the item to the list

Compare more than the product name or photo. Check the size, material, sterile or non-sterile packaging, and how many usable items come in the pack. If the kit needs six dressings, a bulk pack may be fine; if it needs a particular sterile dressing, make sure each one has the required sealed packaging.

If the list is missing or no longer matches what is inside, work out what the kit is meant to contain before you buy. A general online checklist may not suit the people or activity the kit is for.

Check the packaging and date

Look at each individual sterile wrapper, not just the outer box. Set aside anything that is open, torn, wet or has a lifted seal, and check that sterile items are sealed and usable.

Check the expiry date if the product has one and follow its storage directions. Medicines have their own labels and storage requirements: read the medicine label and follow its instructions. Ask a pharmacist or clinician if you are unsure whether a medicine or prescribed device is right for the person who needs it.

Be careful with substitutes

Two products can look alike but have different sizes, uses or packaging. If the exact refill is unavailable, compare the details with the kit list and ask the person who chose the contents before using a substitute. Never swap a medicine or prescribed device based only on a similar name or appearance.

Check the delivery before restocking

When the order arrives, check the item and quantity before putting it away. Store it as directed and update the kit list if you changed anything. Kitora’s restocking sheet can help record what was ordered and replaced.

For other supply checks, see how expiry dates affect first aid supplies and what to do with damaged or opened sterile items.