Ch.2 Burns

Question 1

Name the Mechanisms of injury for burns

Answer 1

1. Thermal “heat”
2. Chemicals “strong Corrosives that can Damage skin or produce heat
3. Electrical Causes by resistance of electrical current through tissue
4. Radiation caused by ultra violet light, alpha beta or gamma rays.

Question 2

Treatment principles:

safety (4)

Answer 2

1. ensure the scene is safe
2. remove patient from immediate danger
3. put out the fire
4. remove clothing and constricting objects (jewelry/watches/belts)

Question 3

Treatment principles: 
small burns (

Answer 3

1. soaked or irrated with cold water
2. cool for 10 mins or until pain subsides
3. avoid hypothermia dont use ice or icewater

Question 4

treatment principles:

airway, breathing and circulation

Answer 4

airway: be suspicious of burns around the face and neck
breathing: soot around the mouth and nose. assess for coughs and respiratory distress. administer oxygen if available.
circulation: assess, monitor and treat for shock

Question 5

How to assess a burn

Answer 5

1. surface area burned
2. estimate the percent of the total surface area burned. palm and fingers is 1%.
3. location of the burns
4. face, neck, hands, feet, armpits and groin and circumference burns are particularly dangerous

Question 6

Treatment Principles:
Depth of burn
superficial: 
Partial Thickness:
Full Thickness:

Answer 6

superficial: red, painful, swollen
Partial Thickness: red, painful, swollen, blisters
Full Thickness: painless, without blisters, can be pale or charred

Question 7

Treatment Principles:

extended care situations

Answer 7

1. Debride dead skin around blisters that have self drained
2. clean several times daily
3. cover with cleanest dressing available. bacitracin ointment.
4. do not drain in tact blisters
5. moist dressings are fine for small burns for patient comfort
6. NSAIDS for pain management
7. monitor
8. keep patient hydrated

Question 8

Evacuation guidelines for burns

Answer 8

evacuate full and partial thickness burns to hands, feet, face, armpits or groin
Rapid evacuate if full/partial thickness burn area is greater than 10%
rapid evac circumfrential and all airway burns