Workplace first aid kit essentials

My job description basically includes getting cut a few times a year, plus the occasional burn... And sure enough, I nicked myself on a meat slicer today, right on the knuckle. For stuff like this, I don't bother running to the doctor; I just take care of it myself. Since I'm constantly in and out of water at work, wounds usually heal up within a month (I'm a chef)
Usually, I rely on Neosporin ointment and Betadine solution.
I always keep one tube of Neosporin in my medicine cabinet at home—I won't touch Tirosur because the packaging is too small and it's way overpriced.
I'm planning to pick up some Betadine today, but you can't get it without a prescription.
So now, I have to go see my primary care physician just to get a script—not that it matters much since it's a generic brand and you're paying out of pocket anyway.
Isn't it ridiculous that you need a prescription for something so basic?
I even had to pass a first aid certification just to be qualified to provide help on the job, yet I can't even buy standard Betadine on my own?
Am I really expected to visit a doctor for every little scratch?

You’re totally hitting the nail on the head here.
The doctors aren't the ones calling the shots or setting the rules of the game; it's all down to the politicians and bureaucrats in D.C.

Honestly, you’d probably have better luck finding Betadine at a local Tractor Supply Co. than anywhere else (just ask Carol Garcia2 about her experience with that).

It would be pretty handy if they still carried PlivaseptBlue, assuming they haven't slapped a ban on selling that too.🤔

Wounds tend to heal a lot faster if you just use something like Apipol ointment with propolis—you can pick that up at any CVS Pharmacy without needing a prescription or anything.

It might actually be worth having some kind of culinary guild or a professional chefs' association send a formal inquiry or a suggestion over to the folks running the show in Washington regarding this whole situation.
Maybe then they'll actually listen to what the people want.
The experts don't get a say in these things anyway.☕

We have this hand disinfectant, something similar to Plivasept, though I wouldn't dream of putting that on an open wound.
So, you changed the thread title, but shouldn't we be including home first aid kits in this discussion too?
I honestly can't wrap my head around this whole thing with the Betadine solution—is it really something I could overdose on, or do I actually need a prescription for it?
In that case, I might as well overdose on fish ointment (yes, I use it on first-degree burns after cooling them down; sure, they react differently, but if they can survive as many burns as I have, then maybe I should start listening to them!)
Or should I go with Neosporin? Which one is worse? Should I buy it and apply it after work to a wound that got wet and dirty despite the bandage (meaning, exposed to bacteria), or should I just let the wound fester and take sick leave? I can't work with an infection, especially with the risk of spreading something like strep—honestly, why am I even worrying about this after failing to meet the basic hygiene standards today? That’s just another "brilliant" move from the Department of Health—if I learned these things in school, which I did, and in much greater detail, I should always be able to answer these questions without needing extra lectures.

Don't tell me they're actually requiring a prescription for Betadine—it's just an antiseptic, for heaven's sake.
What about Rivanol? 🤣
I really don't want to suggest anyone calls their doctor, because I refuse to believe they're actually demanding a script for this.
If this is true, we’ve truly lost our way.😂

Around here, I'm constantly sending people to the CVS Pharmacy for 10% solutions, and not once has anyone come back asking me to write them a prescription.

If you're going to challenge my medical perspective, take a look at Flogoderm or Zinc Vitamine—which, by the way, is way better than the standard zinc oxide paste from the big pharmacy brands.

So, like, about two weeks ago I just picked up some regular Betadine at the CVS Pharmacy. They didn't even ask me for a prescription or anything... 😕

Just try going to a different CVS Pharmacy to grab the Betadine 👍

rustymason82 said:We have this hand disinfectant, something similar to Plivasept, though I wouldn't dream of putting that on an open wound.
So, you changed the thread title, but shouldn't we be including home first aid kits in this discussion too?
I honestly can't wrap my head around this whole thing with the Betadine solution—is it really something I could overdose on, or do I actually need a prescription for it?
In that case, I might as well overdose on fish ointment (yes, I use it on first-degree burns after cooling them down; sure, they react differently, but if they can survive as many burns as I have, then maybe I should start listening to them!)
Or should I go with Neosporin? Which one is worse? Should I buy it and apply it after work to a wound that got wet and dirty despite the bandage (meaning, exposed to bacteria), or should I just let the wound fester and take sick leave? I can't work with an infection, especially with the risk of spreading something like strep—honestly, why am I even worrying about this after failing to meet the basic hygiene standards today? That’s just another "brilliant" move from the Department of Health—if I learned these things in school, which I did, and in much greater detail, I should always be able to answer these questions without needing extra lectures.

So, where exactly have you been hanging out for the last 25 years?

So, were you actually coming back from Sweden or Cuba at that time?

It honestly feels like this whole symphony is just gaining momentum, and if you ask me, things are only going to get messier from here. ☕

velvetmoose9 said:So, where exactly have you been hanging out for the last 25 years?

So, were you actually coming back from Sweden or Cuba at that time?

It honestly feels like this whole symphony is just gaining momentum, and if you ask me, things are only going to get messier from here. ☕

Yeah, I lived in Cuba once.😁
Look, sure, an overdose is possible if you apply it over huge areas and it gets absorbed...
But when we're talking about a tiny cut on my finger, what are the odds of an overdose? None at all—unless I'm dousing myself in Betadine every five minutes, and even then, we aren't exactly living in the tropics.

velvetmoose9 said:So, where exactly have you been hanging out for the last 25 years?

So, were you actually coming back from Sweden or Cuba at that time?

It honestly feels like this whole symphony is just gaining momentum, and if you ask me, things are only going to get messier from here. ☕

Unfortunately, nobody seems to want to face this—it's a harsh reality, and honestly, it answers about half the questions being asked here on the forum. 😢
The people drafting these laws are completely out of touch; meanwhile, doctors have their hands tied—or rather, they're being threatened with sanctions if they don't follow these specific mandates.

I think it was more about the pharmacist being able to move some Betadine without any hassle. They could have just asked for the customer's full name and the info for their local doctor, and that would’ve been that. Usually, if you walk into most pharmacies with a private prescription for something like Betadine, they'll just hand it right back to you anyway.
My advice? Just head to a different CVS Pharmacy. 😁

Frank Booth9 said:I think it was more about the pharmacist being able to move some Betadine without any hassle. They could have just asked for the customer's full name and the info for their local doctor, and that would’ve been that. Usually, if you walk into most pharmacies with a private prescription for something like Betadine, they'll just hand it right back to you anyway.
My advice? Just head to a different CVS Pharmacy. 😁

I visited three different pharmacies today, and not a single one would sell it without a prescription. Even at my local pharmacy, where they actually offered to give me Seretide without a script—saying I could just bring the paperwork in tomorrow—they wouldn't even take a deposit... It's obvious they've really tightened up the oversight lately.

Frank Booth9 said:I think it was more about the pharmacist being able to move some Betadine without any hassle. They could have just asked for the customer's full name and the info for their local doctor, and that would’ve been that. Usually, if you walk into most pharmacies with a private prescription for something like Betadine, they'll just hand it right back to you anyway.
My advice? Just head to a different CVS Pharmacy. 😁

Actually, lately they haven't really been handing prescriptions back. Some guy at my local pharmacy was lecturing me about how they need paperwork for every single medication dispensed to cover their tracks (yeah, sure, I just order my meds from overseas and deal with whatever headache the FDA or whatever that agency is called throws my way).

At this point, you can't even tell who's actually taking the pills and who's footing the bill. 🙄

I remember even a few years back, they wouldn't let you buy Rivanol without a prescription—I know because we were at the vet, and she mentioned she had to write one out specifically for it. As for Betadine, I’m totally with you, but man, things have really gone overboard lately.

Even in the UK, they won't sell you medical-grade ethyl alcohol without a prescription... I mean, what are people supposed to do, drink it? 😁 On the flip side, you can still just grab all sorts of antibiotic creams right off the shelf :nezna:

melloworca6 said:Actually, lately they haven't really been handing prescriptions back. Some guy at my local pharmacy was lecturing me about how they need paperwork for every single medication dispensed to cover their tracks (yeah, sure, I just order my meds from overseas and deal with whatever headache the FDA or whatever that agency is called throws my way).

At this point, you can't even tell who's actually taking the pills and who's footing the bill. 🙄

That mostly comes down to the pharmacist—I’m talking about cases like buying Betadine without a prescription. And yeah, you're right, it's impossible to know who's actually using it and who's paying for it.
Not sure if I should even link this, but according to this, it's listed as an over-the-counter item. 🤔

The label on the Betadine solution says it's available over-the-counter, so you should be able to just pick it up at any CVS Pharmacy without a hassle. But let’s be real—if a medication is clearly marked "Prescription Only," you aren't supposed to touch it unless a doctor actually clears it through a formal prescription, whether that's a private one or something covered by your insurance.

At the end of the day, you have to respect the law. If someone decides to play shady and sell stuff under the table, well, that’s their own business and they can deal with the consequences.

Carl Moore8 said:The label on the Betadine solution says it's available over-the-counter, so you should be able to just pick it up at any CVS Pharmacy without a hassle. But let’s be real—if a medication is clearly marked "Prescription Only," you aren't supposed to touch it unless a doctor actually clears it through a formal prescription, whether that's a private one or something covered by your insurance.

At the end of the day, you have to respect the law. If someone decides to play shady and sell stuff under the table, well, that’s their own business and they can deal with the consequences.

I get what you're saying, but then why wouldn't they have sold it to rustymason82? The point is, the guy needed the solution, not the ointment, so he shouldn't have needed a prescription at all.

It feels like the rules are shifting under our feet every single day.
Honestly, don't even bother looking for any kind of logic in it.

Frank Booth9 said:I get what you're saying, but then why wouldn't they have sold it to rustymason82? The point is, the guy needed the solution, not the ointment, so he shouldn't have needed a prescription at all.

Honestly, I haven't a clue what the actual reason would be at that point.🤔

Everything you're saying hits the mark, but honestly, doc, you’re driving my blood pressure through the roof every single day with that "nobody asks for our expertise" routine. Look, it’s not like you guys aren't doctors and actual members of this community. Get your act together. You have medical boards, professional associations, unions—use them! How is a line cook supposed to tell a doctor that a certain ingredient shouldn't be in a recipe or needs to be tossed? The real issue is that there's way too much ego and conflicting interests swirling around among you all, and that's what creates the friction. It would be a hell of a lot easier to reach our goals if we just stood behind you and backed you up, rather than having you hide behind patients because you're terrified of repercussions from various bureaucrats and hospital directors.
And while we're at it, I want to go after the employer and their OSHA representative. They don't even have a basic first aid kit available, especially not in a workspace like this. Out here in the States, they'd be shut down immediately for a violation like that.

I’ve noticed lately that pharmacists have started acting like they own the place, especially the staff over at CVS Pharmacy. I recently picked up a massive prescription for a bladder infection, and while I was looking through all that stuff, I realized I was totally out of antispasmodics. My dog has chronic gastritis, too, so I figured I'd just ask on the fly if I could grab some Spasmex or Buscopan without a script. The lady behind the counter just looks at me and goes, "Well, considering what you're dealing with, I'll give you those; they'll be much better for your bladder inflammation..." 😁
Honestly, Spasmex has never done a damn thing for me. I find Neofencic works way better, and I can get my hands on that without any hassle...
Live wire

Angela Wright said:Everything you're saying hits the mark, but honestly, doc, you’re driving my blood pressure through the roof every single day with that "nobody asks for our expertise" routine. Look, it’s not like you guys aren't doctors and actual members of this community. Get your act together. You have medical boards, professional associations, unions—use them! How is a line cook supposed to tell a doctor that a certain ingredient shouldn't be in a recipe or needs to be tossed? The real issue is that there's way too much ego and conflicting interests swirling around among you all, and that's what creates the friction. It would be a hell of a lot easier to reach our goals if we just stood behind you and backed you up, rather than having you hide behind patients because you're terrified of repercussions from various bureaucrats and hospital directors.
And while we're at it, I want to go after the employer and their OSHA representative. They don't even have a basic first aid kit available, especially not in a workspace like this. Out here in the States, they'd be shut down immediately for a violation like that.

Of course we have a first aid kit at work,
but it doesn't contain any hydrogen peroxide, Betadine, or any kind of antibiotic ointment (they used to include Geokorton ointment in the kits once upon a time).
It’s quite interesting—apparently, according to the new regulations, fish oil isn't included anymore because the rules say you shouldn't apply anything to burns, just cover them with sterile gauze. While that makes sense for severe third-degree burns, what about those common first-degree burns chefs deal with all the time? Cold water followed by some fish oil works wonders. I remember burning my entire forearm on a hot sauce I pulled off the gas stove; thankfully, I had cold water right next to the pot, so I soaked my arm for 20 minutes. After applying some fish oil, all that was left was a little redness and stinging.
Isn't it strange? Back when I worked at a hotel undergoing a massive renovation where an Italian company was delivering all the new equipment, they brought over these Italian first aid kits that actually contained hydrogen peroxide and a local version of Betadine.