Burns

What to remember

• A burned casualty is a trauma casualty first, so deal with every other life-threatening injury using MARCH PAWS, and treat on or through burned skin.CLS M16 Slides, PDF p.6
• Electrical burn: cut the power if you can, otherwise push the casualty clear with a nonconductive object such as a wooden stick, then move him somewhere safe.CLS M16 Slides, PDF p.8
• Thermal burn: stop the source of the burn first, then cut clothing away from the burn and lift it off gently; clothing stuck to the burn stays on, so cut around it.CLS M16 Slides, PDF p.9
• Chemical burn such as white phosphorus: put the area in water, or cover it with a wet barrier and an occlusive dressing, and tell medical personnel right away.CLS M16 Slides, PDF p.10
• First-degree burns look like sunburn, second-degree burns also have blisters, and third-degree burns look dry, stiff and leathery, and may be white, brown or black.CLS M16 Slides, PDF p.12
• Rule of Nines: 11 body areas each count as 9 percent, and the casualty's palm is about 1 percent.CLS M16 Slides, PDF p.13
• Take watches and jewelry off the burned area, then cover the burn with a dry sterile dressing (wet only for white phosphorus).CLS M16 Slides, PDF p.14

Where people go wrong

• Forcing off clothing that is stuck to burned skin.CLS M16 Skill Instructions, PDF p.2
• Grabbing or handling the burned area while you move or lift the casualty.CLS M16 Slides, PDF p.9
• Putting a dry dressing on a white phosphorus burn instead of using water or a wet dressing.CLS M16 Skill Instructions, PDF p.2
• Placing an NPA in a casualty who shows signs of an inhalation burn.CLS M16 Slides, PDF p.15

Check yourself

Questions on this module, each with the reason and the slide it came from.