Field hospitals are a powerful tool. They can be used to support hospitals during a pandemic or a crisis situation such as a bombing or natural disaster. They can be set-up quickly and efficiently. Field hospitals have been used worldwide to help people during intense circumstances. These hospitals have saved countless lives and are a crucial piece of the worldwide healthcare system. Field hospitals can be constructed in remote areas and in areas where hospitals are overwhelmed. Here are the most important supplies you need to consider when putting together a field hospital package.
Oxygen Supplies
If it’s available, you’ll need oxygen tanks, tubing, masks, nasal cannulas and more. Oxygen is necessary for respiratory infections, during surgery, and to help people recover during crisis intervention. Field hospitals should always have oxygen supplies on hand if possible. In remote areas, these supplies can sometimes be airdropped if it’s too challenging to truck them in. Oxygen therapy can be a lifesaving intervention.
IV Fluids
During a natural disaster or pandemic, people can become dehydrated from lack of fluids. IV fluids provide essential hydration and in some cases nutrients to people who have become too ill to take in water on their own. IV fluids can be used during surgical procedures and while patients are recovering. They can also be used to give medications such as antibiotics or antivirals if the patient cannot take medications by mouth.
Patient Isolation Tent
During a pandemic or suspected outbreak, it’s important to quarantine patients with symptoms and those who have been directly exposed. A patient isolation tent is a must-have item for these situations. The right kind of tent can help the infected patient get treatment while also protecting the other patients and staff in the field hospital. Outbreaks and pandemic can be devastating. A properly equipped field hospital helps to reduce the strain on local hospitals and provide help in areas that don’t have enough trained medical personnel.
Clean Water Source
Clean water is the most valuable resource in the world. Clean water ensures people get drinking water, but it also is used for handwashing and other cleanup needs in a field hospital. A source of clean water from a cistern, filter, or treated water source can be the difference between life and death.
Handwashing Stations
If you’re low on PPE like gloves, then it’s especially critical for you to have places to wash your hands. The amount of scrubbing that’s needed to get germs off your hands is more than people realize. Medical professionals understand that proper handwashing is the most important habit when you’re working with patients. It helps prevent the spread of disease, infection, and illness between patients. Proper handwashing is a basic skill, but with enough handwashing stations in a field hospital, there is no reason to avoid it.
PPE
Gloves, gowns, masks, and face shields are vital pieces of equipment to have in a field hospital. Personal protective equipment is designed to protect the wearer from blood, respiratory droplets, and more. When used correctly, protective gear can help reduce the spread of infection between patients during a pandemic. These supplies are often depleted quickly because they are designed for short-term use. If you’re putting together a field hospital supply, make sure you have ample PPE. If you think you have enough stored up, get more.
Wound Care Supplies
Whether you need to bandage up a wound, or use sterile gauze on surgical sites, wound care supplies are a must-have for a field hospital. Bandages, tape, antibacterial ointments, iodine, and gauze are all important items to have on-hand. You’ll also need sterile gloves to help reduce the risk of infection in your patients. Proper wound care helps patients heal faster. The right supplies are essential for making this happen.
Field Surgical Kits
Think about the types of surgical kits that the armed forces get when they go to war. If nothing else, you need a surgical kit that contains basic supplies to cut out infections, sew up wounds, and do basic procedures. Field kits are an essential supply for field hospitals. If you’re helping to ease the strain during a pandemic, you might get patients in your field hospital that need basic stitches.
Electrolytes
Dehydration kills. Electrolyte drinks and IV’s can save lives. It’s as simple as that. Make sure any field hospital kit you create has powdered electrolytes. You can pack a lot more if you keep them in powdered form as opposed to liquid form. In remote areas this is especially important. Electrolyte beverages are useful for giving the weak, children, and the elderly especially if they have been sickened by the water and are experiencing gastrointestinal symptoms.
Antibiotics/Antivirals
Medications are vital for field hospitals. It’s important to have a variety of options on hand that can be taken by mouth, given intravenously, or compounded for smaller dosing if necessary. Antibiotics and antivirals can be used for a wide range of illnesses. They can be used to prevent infection in surgical patients and can be given to combat infectious diseases. A field hospital needs to have at least some type of antibiotic.
Gather a Medical Team
A good field medical team consists of doctors, nurses, and other trained healthcare providers. Be thoughtful in creating your field hospital medical team. It’s helpful to have staff who are experienced in ER type of environments and have done work in trauma care. It’s also helpful to have respiratory therapists available to help patients who are on oxygen or ventilator care. A well-rounded team brings a wealth of experience to the table to help care for all the needs of the patients you’ll encounter.
While there is no way to fully prepare for an emergency medical situation, good people and good supplies go a long way to getting individuals medical care no matter where they are in the world. It helps to have a plan in place and a way to recruit qualified individuals. With these critical supplies, you can treat almost any condition or injury anywhere in the world.
