10 essentials healthcare providers keep in their medicine cabinets
Do your shelf contents need an overhaul? Here's what to stock.
Jan, 2026
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Slide 1
Open your medicine cabinet and take a look. Do you have what you need for all the bruises, scrapes, and sniffles you and your family are likely to experience throughout the year? You probably have some of the essentials, but there may be a few items missing.
Here are 10 items it’s wise to keep on those bathroom shelves.
Written byPatrick Sullivan.
Medically reviewed byAnn Wendling, MD, MPH.
Sources: U.S. Food & Drug Administration. Don’t Be Tempted to Use Expired Medicines. February 8 + 16
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- University Hospitals. Expired Medications: Dangerous or Just Less Effective? August 23, 2023.
- MedlinePlus. Over-the-counter pain relievers. Reviewed October 25, 2022.
- Beutler AI, Chesnut GT, Mattingly JC, Jamieson B. FPIN's Clinical Inquiries. Aspirin use in children for fever or viral syndromes. Am Fam Physician. 2009 Dec 15;80(12):1472.
- MedlinePlus. Reye syndrome. Reviewed July 28, 2022.
- Mayo Clinic. Cuts and scrapes: First aid. May 1, 2024.
- FamilyDoctor.org (AAFP). What do I need in my first aid kit? Updated June 2023.
- Carrie Sussman and Barbara Bates-Jenson. Wound Care: A Collaborative Practice Manual for Health Professionals (Third Edition). Wolters Kluwer. 2007. P 223.
- Fellows J, Crestodina L. Home-prepared saline: a safe, cost-effective alternative for wound cleansing in home care. J Wound Ostomy Continence Nurs. 2006 Nov-Dec;33(6):606-9.
- MedlinePlus. Staph infections - self-care at home. July 8, 2023.
- Shahbazian JH, Hartzell TL, Pandey AK, Azari KK. Allergic dermatitis due to topical antibiotics. West J Emerg Med. 2012 Sep;13(4):380-2.
- FamilyDoctor.org (AAFP). Antihistamines: Understanding Your OTC Options. August 2024.
- American Academy of Dermatology Association. Skin Cancer. Accessed October 25, 2024.
- American Cancer Society. How to Use Sunscreen. June 26, 2024.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Reducing Risk for Skin Cancer. July 1, 2024.
- Cleveland Clinic. Here’s How to Choose Between Using Ice or Heat for Pain. December 8, 2020.
- Mayo Clinic. Antibiotics: Are you misusing them? April 9, 2024.
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