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Burn Criteria

Base Contact required for a destination

 

BURN CARE / TREATMENT:

< 10% BSA: cool with saline soaks 

> 10% BSA: cool with saline soaks 10 min. max, cover with dry dressing,

cover w/ blanket

 

MEDICATIONS:

  • Albuterol for wheezing or bronchospasm

  • Morphine for pain 

  • Fentanyl for pain

 

 

 

 

Triage to Burn Center (UCI or OC Global): 

  • MOI

  • Suspected inhalation injury (burned in small confined space, facial burns, hoarseness, dyspnea, soot in mouth, carbonaceous sputum, singed nasal hairs)

  • High voltage/electric burns (including lightning injury)

  • Chemical burns

  • Burns involving face, hands, feet, genitalia, perineum, major joints

  • Circumferential burns

  • Major pre-existing medical conditions (e.g. diabetes, renal failure, cardiac or pulmonary disease)

  • 2nd Degree burns > 10% BSA in any age group

  • 3rd Degree burns = Any 3rd Degree burn

 

SPECIAL NOTES:

  • Estimating burn surface %: Patient’s palm size = 1% burn

  • Chemical burns: Brush away any remaining dry chemical, irrigate burn wound and surrounding skin with copious and continuous water/saline to dilute and mechanically remove as much residual chemical as possible.

 

NOTE:

  • Some chemicals are activated by water/fluids and might worsen burn or create hazardous fumes (e.g. sodium phosphorus, acetyl bromide, aluminum carbide, silicon tetrachloride).

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