Module 4 - Thermal, Electrical and Chemical Injuries
Basic Burn Treatment
A. Superficial burns:
- Usually minimal treatment (ointment)
B. Superficial partial-thickness burns:
- Appropriate analgesia (IV narcotic, acetaminophen w/ codeine)
- Warm water and mild soap
- Burn dressing
C. Deep partial-thickness or full-thickness burns:
- Smaller burn can heal spontaneously
- Large burn requires surgical referral
Minor Burn Treatment:
Minor burn – injury involving small area of the body that should heal spontaneously without significant scarring or functional impairment
- Stop the burning process
- Cool the injured area if thermal injury
- Offer an analgesic appropriate to burn status
- Remove clothing from the affected areas
- Remove watches and jewelry from injured limbs
- Clean burns with warm water and mild soap
- Dress burn with fine-mesh paraffin gauze (Jelonet® or Softulle®), dry gauze and outer wrap
- Update patient tetanus status
- Inform patient about risk of infection
- Reassess patient in 1-3 days with dressing change
Other considerations
- For hand injuries, each individual finger should be dressed and movement encouraged
- Facial burns demand an open technique with ointment use only, as dressings are uncomfortable and difficult to maintain on this area of the body
- Topical antimicrobials such as silver sulfadiazine and sulfamylon are used only for major burns and should not be used in outpatients
- Any burn that does not heal in a month should be referred to a burn surgeon – even small burns may require a month to heal and result in scarring. Burns that heal within three weeks usually have a good result in both appearance and function.
Author: SP Zinn