BURN MANAGEMENT Flashcards
What is a burn?
Thermal, coagulative injury to the skin
Who gets burns more often and what are the predisposing factors?
- Males> females
- Elderly
- Medical conditions
- Carelessness
- Alcohol
What are the two most common burn types?
Flame and Scald
Explain 5 systems a burn can affect
- All functions of the skin are lost
- Respiratory systems affected because of bronchoconstriction
- Reduced immunological response
- Basal metabolic rate increased by 3 fold
- Cardiovascular - reduced contractions of the heart
What are the 4 first aid steps when attending to a minor burn?
1) stop burning process
2) Cool the burn but not too much to the point of hypothermia
3) Cover the burn to help with pain relief
4) Keep warm - mechanisms for temp control lost
What is the approach used when assessing victims so that you don’t become distracted by the burn?
A - airways
B - breathing
C - circulation (with spine control)
What 3 things should be assessed in A and B and what 3 observations should be made?
- Assess for airway burns
- Assess oxygen levels
- Assess arterial blood gas
- Look and listen to the chest
- Chest X-ray
- Anaesthetic review in case intubation is needed
Give 6 signs of an airway burn and the patient history that could suggest an airway burn
History : in an enclosed space
- Carbonaceous sputum production
- Hoarse voice
- Altered consciousness
- Respiratory distress
- Facial burns
- Singed nasal hair
What should be assessed and carried out in C?
- Should check if patient needs fluid replacement and if they can have an IV
- Check peripheral pulses
- Monitor their urine, pulse and BP
- Check for circumferential burns
What is a circumferential burn?
A burn that travels all the way around the chest or all the way around a limb. This can cause constriction in these areas because the skin pulls tightly
What is an escharotomy and why is is beneficial?
A surgical procedure where an inscision is made in a circumferential burn so that the restrictive effects of the burn are released. This can help with breathing/ ventilation (chest) and circulation of blood flow to different limbs
What is used as dressings for burn wounds?
Cling film
What two assessments are carried out in secondary surveys of burns in addition to ABC?
- Top to toe - this is where you check for other body injuries
- Measure the sizes of the burns - how much of the body as a percentage does the burn cover (TBSA)
How do you work out the percentage of mortality in burn victims and what does this affect?
TBSA + Age (+17 in inhalation injury) = % mortality
This affects the treatment the patient receives and the likely outcomes
