Hydrogel dressings for burns

[Downunder]

Arkansas where I live totally advocates cooling with water until the burning stops, them covering with a dry, sterile dressing. Never put anything on that could cause constriction due to swelling. The theory behind this is that anything put on in the field will have to be scrubbed off at the hospital plus you are sealing in residual heat and debris. If you want to receive a royal butt chewing here, aplly burn gels or ointments.

Hi Rfitz57,

Could you clarify what you mean by "until the burning stops". Part of the confusion with cooling is the idea that someone will wet down patient to put out the flames if his clothes are on fire but this is different and I addition to 20mins of cooling which is a clinical treatment rather than a preventative measure to limit further immediate injury. Not all patients have flame burn injuries of course, although they are the most common in adults (around60%). You see this is part of the problem - there are so many generalities applied to pre-hospital burn care that confusion arise just from the semantics. I have made it my mission in life to nuance burn first aid and make each and every step specific, with a stated purpose and clinical end point attached. The days of just throwing "whatever" on the burn and driving fast to hospital have to end. But they won't until everyone is clear about terminology, chronology, histology and pathophysiology!! Every step in burn care means something  - each step has to be done properly to specified protocols with clearly defined goals and ultimately - when someone is prepared to shell out the research dollars - analysed to see if it needs tweaking or even changing. Did you know burns account for only about 9% of all trauma cases but accounts for over 65% of all trauma healthcare costs?!! We have all these fancy procedures for trauma - RSI, ETT, Decompression of TPT, drugs, fluids, mast suits, lifting devices, spinal care but what in burns? Throw some water on (or don't if your paranoid about hypothermia but will make the patient worse through burn progression by not cooling) and any old dressing, as long as its reasonably clean. An IV some pain killers and fluids and that's it.

Somethings got to give.

Thanks for listening to my rant

Downunder

[Just Plain Ruff]

ooooh, I see an education topic here Downunder.  do you have the ability to put together a ceu class and offer it to us goombahs' here?  I remember Admin mentioning that this might be something he wanted to pursue, a education dynamic on this site, or it might have been someone else here making that request.  

What are your thoughts?

[Downunder]

Well Ruffmeister, that sounds like an offer. I'm always happy to contribute. What did you have in mind? What's ceu class?

Downunder

Just to let you know - its nearly midnight here and I'm off to hit the sack. I'll have to leave it with you until tomorrow. I'm getting e-mail notes on post updates and I check my e-mails all the time so I won't miss any posts you put up.

cheers

Downunder

Edited August 13, 2015 by Downunder

[Just Plain Ruff]

A CEU Class is a education course that has education hours attached to it.  No offense to you but if you don't know what they are then it probably won't work but maybe if you were to provide the actual course in burns, (basic or advanced level or a mix that would benefit both level of provider) then someone here in the states could sponsor the class and provide the hours via their training site.  

 

Anyone want to step up if Downunder were to write the education piece?  Sort of a collaborative effort?

[Downunder]

A CEU Class is a education course that has education hours attached to it.  No offense to you but if you don't know what they are then it probably won't work but maybe if you were to provide the actual course in burns, (basic or advanced level or a mix that would benefit both level of provider) then someone here in the states could sponsor the class and provide the hours via their training site.  

 

Anyone want to step up if Downunder were to write the education piece?  Sort of a collaborative effort?

Whilst I'm happy to contribute, the project sounds a little more than I could commit to at the moment, Ruffmeister. I'm doing data extraction for another researchers paper at the moment which is pretty full-on and am also involved in some communications with a nurse burn educator in the UK. Besides, I'm not a credentialed academic or educator and have no formal qualifications in burns management. I only have my paramedic and intensive care background plus my experiences researching for my paper and material for the organisation a ways back.  Setting up a formal course would need to meet some established pre-requisites I should imagine as well as contact hours I mightn't be able to commit to as well. Sorry if I sound like I'm chickening out after making an offer. Is there an alternative so I could still provide something for the troops?

Downunder

[Just Plain Ruff]

nah, just a thought.  no biggie.  just a thought.