Newsweek recently published a good article on 10 of the common first aid mistakes that people make. While we all try to avoid getting injured, accidents happen. Knowing what to do in the case of an injury is just as important as having a well stocked first aid kit.

The article covers typical home health emergencies but any of the injuries on this list can happen while camping too. I suggest printing the article out and keeping it with your first aid kit for handy reference because it covers both what to do and what not to do.

Here is a quick overview of the injuries the article covers which is from two medical experts: Dr. Tom Scaletta the outgoing president of the American Academy of Emergency Medicine; and Denise King, president of the Emergency Nurses Association.

The common injuries it covers are:

1) Cut Finger
If a finger or part of it is amputated wrap the severed part in damp gauze, put it in a waterproof bag, and place that bag on ice. Apply ice to the wound on the hand and cover it with a clean, dry cloth. Go directly to an emergency room.

2) Knocked-out Tooth
Put the tooth in milk and go directly to the emergency room.

3) Burns
Wash and apply antibiotic ointment to mild burns. Go the hospital for any burns that are on the eyes, mouth, or genital areas; any burn that covers an area larger than a person’s hand; and for for any burn that causes blisters or is followed by a fever.

4) Electrical Burns
Go the emergency room right away even if no damage is noticeable. Electrical burns can cause invisible damage deeper in the body that can be serious.

5) Sprained Ankle
Treat the sprain with ice. Go to the emergency room if it is very painful to bear weight on it.

6) Nosebleed
Sit upright, lean forward, and pinch your nose steadily just below the nasal bone for 5 to 10 minutes. If the bleeding continues for 15 minutes or if a person thinks they are swallowing a lot of blood, go to the emergency room.

7) Bleeding
Apply steady pressure to the wound with a clean towel or gauze pack. Wrap the wound securely. If bleeding doesn’t stop or if it is gaping or was caused by an animal bite go to the emergency room.

8 ) Ingestion of poison
Call the poison control center right away at 1.800.222.1222 (this is the phone number for every poison center in the United States and can be called 24 hours a day, 7 days a week).

9) Being impaled
Stabilize the object if possible and go directly to the emergency room.

10) Seizures
Lay the victim on the ground in an open space if possible and roll the victim on his or her side. Call 911.

Read the entire article by clicking here.