The Ultimate RV Medical Guide

Keep everyone healthy on your travels by planning ahead

Even if you were never a Boy Scout (or Girl Scout), it’s important to be prepared. This is especially true when it comes to health. Accidents happen all the time, but we can mitigate their damage if we know how to handle them. And it’s bad enough when someone gets hurt or sick in your home; it can be really difficult to deal with when you’re on the road. This is why before you set off in your RV, you should make sure you have all of the right medical supplies.

Basic medical supplies

Your RV’s medicine cabinet should contain pretty much the same type of items as the one in your house. This includes pain relievers, antacids, vitamins, prescriptions, sleep aids, and cold/allergy medications. However, because the cabinet in an RV is usually pretty small, fitting all this stuff can be challenging. One thing you can do is instead of bringing along every bottle, think about what you may need and separate the pills into a pillbox organizer. There are also numerous other storage hacks that will allow you to get the most out of your bathroom.

First aid kit

In addition to medicine, you will definitely want to have a well-stocked first aid kit in your RV. This is particularly important if you will be doing some hiking or camping on your trip. Again, you just never know what can happen, and when you add in steep terrain, wild animals, and all the other possible perils of nature, things become even more unpredictable.

Buy or DIY?

You have two choices when it comes to your first aid kit. You can either buy one that’s already put together or make your own. There’s nothing wrong with buying one; basic kits are affordable and may contain everything you would need. However, if you will be on the road for a while and plan to spend a lot of your trip outdoors or doing some strenuous activities, it may make more sense to put your own kit together. In addition to things like Band-Aids, gauze, and ointment for cuts, a more extensive first aid kit should include cold and heat packs, latex gloves, scissors, and tourniquets.

Don’t forget your furry family members!

If you’ll be bringing along pets on your RV trip, you will, of course, want to keep them as safe and healthy as possible. This is why you should pack things like their heartworm or flea and tick medications or any supplements your vet has recommended. Be sure to have a pet first aid kit on hand as well.

Maintain a healthy lifestyle

Often, the best way to avoid having to use any of your medical supplies is by putting a focus on your health. For example, packing nutritious foods – or picking up fresh items from local farmers markets – will do much more for your digestive system than anything you’d get at a fast food restaurant. There are also many small steps you can take to keep your body in great shape, such as staying hydrated, getting regular exercise, applying sunscreen and insect repellants, and washing your hands often and/or using sanitizer.

An RV trip is supposed to be fun, which is why you don’t want an injury or illness to derail it, and the best way to prevent this from happening is to be proactive. Want more helpful tips and advice for your RV travels? Become an RV Advisor Member today.