Chapter 57
Management of Patients with Burn Injury
Burn Prevention
- Keep matches and lighters out of the reach of children.
- Emphasize the importance of never leaving children unattended around fire.
- Develop and practice a home exit fire drill.
- Set the water heater temperature no higher than 70°C.
- Don‘t smoke in bed, and caution against falling asleep while smoking.
- Caution against throwing flammable liquids onto an already burning fire.
- Caution against using flammable liquids to start fires.
- Caution against removing the radiator cap from a hot engine.
- Watch for overhead electrical wires and underground wires when working outside.
- Keep hot irons out of reach of children.
- Caution against running electric cords under carpets or rugs.
- Avoid storing flammable liquids near a fire source.
- Caution when cooking.
- Keep a working fire extinguisher in the home, and to know how to use it.
BURNS
- Results in ??? deaths annually
- Survival best at ages 15- 45
- Children, elderly, and diabetics are at higher risk
- Survival best when burns cover less than 20% of TBA
Types of burns
- Thermal
Exposure to flame or a hot object (i.e. hot water)