Sterile FAK

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Hello all.  I just wanted help to compile a list of sterile items that would prove useful in a FAK. Going to camp last weekend kind of opened my eyes up on having sterile items on me after having to extract tiny fragments of rock from a boy’s foot. I was comfortable in doing so because it was like removing a splinter.

I didn’t have much to work with over camp, so I had to make due with fire, alcohol, boiling, and hand sanitizer as methods of sterilization. I would much rather have on me sterile items than have to waste time with the above methods.

Items I’m planning on including in my new FAK includes:

1. nitrile gloves, individually wrapped
2. saline (for irrigation) – in a pinch, is drinking water fine? That’s what we ended up using at camp. Then went with a small antiseptic wipe (not alcohol) to finish the job. Then neosporin and a bandage. Then moleskin to give his heel some padding so he could walk.
3. needle, individually wrapped – has anybody ever worked with “Splinter Out” needles? Or am I better off using a lancet? I think the Splinter Out is made to cut into the skin only to a certain depth, which I think is awesome, then the point used to extract the splinter (though I’d rather have separate tweezers for that).
4. CPR barrier
5. gauze/rolled gauze

And of course, the normal items such as bandages, antibiotic ointments…
What would you recommend in terms of scissors? I’m not sure if I’m comfortable using a scalpel for any application. Because the skin was away from the “meat” this time around (like a blister would look?), I used the scissors of a sterilized Vic Classic to cut away the skin to get to the rock fragments.

I’m trying to keep things on the small/compact size as I would likely be carrying this in a small pouch or even separate Altoids-sized container. Usually when camping, I’m not prone to carry my backpack around everywhere, which houses all of my major supplies.
What else should be added?

The boy wasn’t bleeding or anything by the time he’d come back to the campsite and showed me his small wound. It just needed to be cleaned up and those small fragments removed (he’d taken the larger one out himself). Was I right to step in as I was confident in my work? He’s fine now with no sign of infection whatsoever. I’m not sure how far the “Good Samaritan” thing extends. Had the injury been more than what it was, I would not have interfered (other than cleaning up the wound) and would have taken him to somebody with more experience, though that would have been a long ways away.

Just tossing it out there that I am currently infant/adult/child CPR & basic First Aid certified… Even so, I wouldn’t do anything I wasn’t comfortable with.
Thank you for your help.

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