When you are a doctor or a nurse, a common group of patients you will have to deal with are burn victims. Most will be minor burns, but there will be a few with third-degree burns that will be more difficult to handle due to the severity of the injury. Knowing the best ways to deal with them is crucial, so we’ve made a list of the best medical treatments for burn victims. That way, you’ll be prepared for the next extreme burn patient that comes your way.
Give Them a Referral
Unfortunately, some burns might be too extreme for a standard hospital to take care of. If the burn covers more than ten percent of the body, is deeper than usual, or is on a sensitive body part, you should send them to a burn center. Be sure to check the criteria established by the American Burn Association if the burn in question doesn’t match the previously mentioned attributes but still seems too extreme for your practice to handle.
If you notice that the burn victim is also having a hard time coping with everything that is happening to them, you might want to suggest that they see a therapist after they have begun the healing process. There are many psychological issues that are caused by the after-effects of extreme burns.
Standard Bandages
For more minor burns, there are plenty of options for you to handle them in your hospital. The most obvious is a dry bandage wrap. Ensure that the bandage is loose. That way, it doesn’t rub up against the damaged skin and possible blisters too much. However, don’t make it so loose that air can easily enter because it can increase overall pain.
Medications
There are many medications that will be useful for this type of injury. The best choice is strong pain killers. The pain of extreme burns can be unbearable to some patients. Observe them thoroughly before prescribing, since some addicts will harm themselves intentionally in order to get their fix.
Anti-anxiety pills are a good choice for those who are stressing about the burn and can’t seem to calm down. Drugs that fight infection are suitable for all burn patients since the chance of infection in this type of injury is relatively high.
Burn Creams
These creams are one of the best medical treatments for burn victims whose injuries aren’t extreme enough to be sent to a burn center. They can do a number of things for the patient, such as preventing possible infection and giving the wound a better ability to close. These are also great for the patient due to the fact that they can buy burn creams over the counter at their local pharmacy.
Water-Based Treatments
A fairly new treatment that you might want to try out is ultrasound mist therapy, which stimulates the tissue around the wound to heal quicker. This is better than a standard ultrasound because this version doesn’t have any contact with the body, which is very useful since a normal one would be quite painful on the burned area of the skin.
