Chapter 29 - Burns

How long should you flush chemicals from the patient?

20 minutes

Circumferential burn

A burn that encircles a body area

Superficial burn

A burn that involves only the epidermis

Partial-thickness burn

A burn that involves the epidermis and portions of the dermis

Separate burned fingers or toes with dry, sterile dressings to prevent?

Adherence of burned areas

What layer(s) does a full-thickness burn affect?

All layers of the skin and can extend to muscle, bone or organs

What is correct about the assessment and care of an electrical burn patient?

All tissues between the entrance and exit wounds be injured

Your patient has sustained a burn to his right eye. What is an appropriate treatment for this patient?

Apply a dry sterile dressing to both eyes

What do the letters BSA stand for in burn assessments?

Body surface area

What do you need to do before flushing the chemicals?

Brush off the dry chemicals

What are the most important factors in determining burn severity?

Burn percentage location of the body surface involved patient age pre-existing medical condition

Full-thickness burn

Burn that involves all of the layers of the skin and can extend beyond the subcutaneous layer into the muscle, bone, or organs below

What age group is least tolerant of burn injuries?

Children under age 5 and adults over age 55

You are treating a patient who has sustained a superficial partial-thickness burn from touching a hot exhaust pipe on a vehicle. What type of mechanism caused this burn?

Contact burn

Burns to the face are considered _____?

Critical

What are the classifications of burns

Critical Moderate Minor

Burns are classified according to what?

Depth of injury

You arrive on the scene minutes after your patient sustained critical burns. You find your patient in a state of hypo perfusion. What should you expect?

Direct blood loss from an associated external hemorrhage or internal hemorrhage

What would be considered inappropriate care for a patient that has sustained a chemical burn?

Dry chemicals should be immediately flushed off the patient

What layer of skin does a superficial burn affect?

Epidermis

What layer(s) does a partial-thickness burn affect?

Epidermis and part of the dermis

You are treating a patient who has sustained an electrical burn with a deep burn that extends into the muscle, blood vessels and nerves. This type of burn can be categorized as what kind of burn?

Fourth-degree burn

What condition is incorrect and unlikely to be seen in the burn patient?

Gastrointestinal dysfunction is caused by increased blood flow to the gastrointestinal system.

You are treating a patient who has been severely burned. You know that burns will do what?

Increase capillary permeability

In a child, partial-thickness burns of 10-20% are considered?

Moderate

What kind of burn damages blood vessels, causing plasma and tissue fluid to collect between layers of the skin?

Partial-thickness burn (second-degree)

What are the steps of emergency medical care of burn injuries

Remove the patient from the source of the burn Assess airway, breathing, and mental status Classify the severity of the burn and transport if needed Cover the burned area with dry, sterile dressing Keep the patient warm and treat other injuries Transport to the appropriate facility

You are treating a patient who has sustained a burn. What would indicate the patient has most likely sustained a deep partial-thickness burn?

Skin is red and blanched white

Rule of nines

Standardized format used to quickly identify the amount or percentage of skin or body surface area that has been burned

What classification of burns is caused by flash flame, hot liquid or the sun?

Superficial burn (first-degree)

When treating a burn patient, it is inappropriate to apply the rule of nines to what type of burns?

Superficial burns

Eschar

The hard, tough, leathery, dread soft tissue formed as a result of a full-thickness burn

Six functions of the skin

providing a barrier against infection providing protection from harm aiding in the regulation of body temperature sensation transmission (hot, cold, pain, touch) aiding in elimination of some body wastes containing fluids necessary to body organs and systems