Module
Burns
Burn causes
- Dry heat (flame, hot air, hot objects, sun)
- Hot liquids/steam = scalds
- Chemicals
- Electricity
- Radiation
Surface area — Rule of 9s (adults)
- Head: 9%
- Each arm: 9%
- Front torso: 18%
- Back: 18%
- Each leg: 18%
- Perineum: 1%
- Patient's palm with fingers ≈ 1% — handy for small burns
Depth
- SUPERFICIAL (epidermis): red, hot, swollen, painful, peeling — heals with cooling. e.g. sunburn
- MID-DEPTH (dermis): bright red or pale grey, BLISTERS with yellow fluid, slow healing — needs medical care
- DEEP (full thickness): leathery, brown/black, INSENSATE (no pain at the centre) — surgical care required
A burn is "severe" if…
- Adult: >20% body surface
- Child: >10%
- Face or neck
- Hands, joints, perineum, genitals
- Airway burns
- Multiple injuries
- High-voltage electrical
Burn first aid
- VODDO
- Remove the cause / call appropriate emergency service
- Initial assessment + estimate burn
- Severe → call 112
- Cool with cool RUNNING water for at least 20 min, OR until pain stops
- DO NOT pull off stuck clothing
- Remove jewellery, watches before swelling
- Scalds: remove clothing
- Face: cool compresses, do NOT cover
- Modern burn dressings (gel-soaked compresses) acceptable
- Plastic film acceptable as a cover after cooling
- CAUTION cooling infants/small children — hypothermia risk
Airway burns — recognise
- Soot around mouth and nose
- Singed nasal hair, eyebrows, eyelashes
- Red/swollen tongue, mouth burns
- Hoarseness
- Difficulty breathing
Chemical burns
- Acids → skin becomes hard and dry
- Alkalis → skin softens, deeper penetration, swollen, dark
- Flush with cool running water 20+ min
- Eye: rinse from inner corner outward (so chemical doesn't reach the other eye)
- Remove contaminated clothing → into a plastic bag
- Note the chemical label/identifier
Electrical burns
- TURN OFF THE POWER FIRST — your safety
- Activate 112 + appropriate intervention service
- Cardiac arrest possible → AED ready
- Cool the wounds, sterile cover
- Continuous monitoring