Did you know that medical supplies are essential items in the healthcare industry that are utilized in a vast range of medical procedures?
From basic items such as gloves, bandages, and syringes to more complex equipment like surgical instruments, imaging machines, and life support systems, the variety of medical supplies is vast.
These items are not just tools, but they are the backbone of patient safety, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of illnesses and injuries in the healthcare industry.
Here’s a list of all essential medical supplies. So, read ahead to learn about them!
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
PPE characterized as any safety item that worn or held to gain protection against harmful chemicals, contaminants, and pathogens. Personal protective equipment is an essential component of all medical settings. Where healthcare procedures performed.
These items protect both the medical staff and patients from the transmission of hazardous diseases.
Here are some common items of personal protective equipment:
1. Disposable Gloves
Disposable gloves used during healthcare procedures that prevent the cross-contamination of germs from a contaminated place to the wearer’s hands.
These gloves are one of the most crucial components of medical supplies that ensure the safety of patients as well as medical staff. The gloves used during medical processes are generally disposable.
And after the completion of treatments, healthcare professionals dispose of them right away. There are various kinds of disposable gloves, including nitrile gloves, latex gloves, vinyl gloves, poly gloves, etc. Medical staff can choose them depending on the extent of protection they require.
2. Surgical Masks or N95 Respirators
N95 respirators and surgical masks are another important part of personal protective equipment. These medical supplies are designed to protect the wearer from harmful particles or airborne pathogens that can contaminate their face or enter their respiratory pathway.
3. Face Shields or Goggles
Face shields or goggles are medical supplies that create a barrier of protection between the wearer’s eyes and face from harmful particles or fluids.
Many professionals, such as medical, dental, and veterinary workers, use these face shields and goggles.
They can protect their face and mucous membranes (eyes, nose, and mouth) from splashes, sprays, and spatters. Both face shields and goggles are classified as personal protective equipment devices.
4. Gowns or Coveralls
Gowns or coveralls are another significant element of PPE supply in Canada. Gown primarily designed to protect people against dangerous fluids.
They are worn over clothing, are impermeable, and create a barrier of protection against spills and splashes of contaminated fluid.
On the other hand, coveralls offer more extensive protection to the wearer, including resistance to airborne hazards as well as disease-causing liquids.
First Aid Supplies
First aid is defined as the medical supplies that are created for emergency treatment and life support for people suffering intense injuries or illnesses. The following are some common types of first aid supplies that every hospital usually has:
1. Bandages
Bandages are the basic element of first aid supplies. They are commonly used in conjunction with dressings to treat wounds. There are different types of bandages. A roller bandage is typically used to hold a dressing securely in place. On the other hand, a triangular bandage can be utilized as an arm sling or a pad to help control bleeding.
2. Adhesive Tape
Also known adhesive tape, as surgical tape, is generally used to attach gauze, bandages, and other dressings to the skin surrounding the wounds.
Adhesive tapes mostly pressure-sensitive, meaning they stick and remain in place when firm pressure applied without requiring heat activation or solvents.
3. Antiseptic Wipes or Solution
Antiseptic wipes or solutions another component of Canada medical supplies that excellent for cleaning scrapes, wounds, and cuts before any sort of medicine, ointment, or dressing applied. They are quite gentle and can properly sterilize the skin. Doctors use these wipes to eliminate the possibility of an infection or allergy.
4. Sterile Gauze Pads
Sterile gauze pads, also known as medical or surgical gauze, fabricated from porous cotton or synthetic materials. The fabric undergoes careful sterilization to ensure purity and minimize the risk of infection during wound care procedures.
Sterile gauze pads generally stored in a sealed package to ensure that they are completely clean. Healthcare professionals use these pads to clean various types of wounds, including burns, cuts, or scrapes. In addition, these sterile gauze pads can also act as a large bandage.
5. Tweezers and Scissors
Tweezers and scissors are all items of medical supplies that healthcare staff use in various surgical and other medical procedures. However, both of these have distinct purposes.
Tweezers are important for picking up and grasping relatively smaller tissues, objects, or materials. They often used in delicate surgical processes. Where precision is necessary.
Scissors, on the other hand, healthcare supplies used for cutting suture materials in the installation or removal of stitches. Healthcare staff also use them for a variety of purposes, like cutting bandages or adhesive tapes.
6. CPR Mask
A pocket mask is a handy device that can save a person’s life during a cardiac or respiratory arrest. It allows for the safe delivery of rescue breaths, making resuscitation more effective.
The mask is portable and can conveniently stored with your team’s first aid kit. It comes with a secure and durable clamshell carrying case that keeps the mask clean and safe.
Moreover, this convenient CPR device can improve the effectiveness of cardiopulmonary resuscitation. This makes it an essential tool for emergency responders and anyone else who may need to perform CPR.
Medication Administration Supplies
There are various medical supplies needed for the careful and safe administration of medication to patients. Some of these described below:
1. Syringes
Syringes are small hollow tubes that medical personnel usually use to inject liquids into patients or withdraw blood from individuals. Depending on the extent of the medical procedure, healthcare staff choose various types and sizes of syringes.
2. Medication Cups
Manufacturers usually produce medication cups from plastic. These cups, which have graduated markings, are perfect for measuring and administering liquid medication. They are typically disposable and disposed of after one use.
3. Intravenous (IV) Catheters and Tubing
Intravenous catheters and tubing thin plastic tubes that inserted into a vein of the patient with the help of a sharp needle. They allow the administration of fluids, medications, and other blood products. Doctors typically use these tubes for patients who’ve become unable to have food from their mouths.
Key Takeaway
Medical supplies are essential items in the healthcare industry. There is a diverse range of items, ranging from personal protective equipment and first aid kits to medication administration supplies and emergency care items.
Without these essential medical products, healthcare is incomplete and no medical treatment can be provided to patients. Thus, if you belong to the medical field, you need to have all these items at your disposal.
However, before purchasing any medical supply, you need to make sure that you are getting it from a reputable and trustworthy supplier. In addition, also check the material of these medical supplies and confirm that they contain the highest-quality and finest material in their fabrication.