Burns can be a result of many factors such as heat, corrosive substances and friction whereas scalding accidents are caused by wet heat, hot liquids and vapors. Extremes in weather conditions, like excessive cold or heat resulting in severe radiation like that from intense sun rays can also produce burns. If first aid and emergency care is not practiced in a timely and efficient manner, some burns can lead to a life-threatening situation. This is why knowing the basics of first aid is very crucial for every responsible adult, especially when treating a burn victims, as a thorough examination and correct rescue techniques can make the difference between life and death at times.
First aid steps for dealing with burn victims: assessing the burn
- In order to determine the severity of a burn and the method of treatment, including the cause of the burn, the first aid giver needs to check whether the burn victim’s airway is involved, what is the depth of the burn, and what is its extent.
- The extent of the burn determines whether the victim may suffer a shock like a tissue fluid/serum leakage from the affected area, which is usually replenished by fluids from the circulatory system.
- The need for correct assessment is very vital in dispensing proper treatment to the burn victim as is determining the cause of the burn since this may also signal any other possible complications.
- Burns carry a serious risk of infection, which increases according to the size and depth of the burn since the skin, which is the human body’s natural barrier, gets destroyed in the process, leaving it exposed to germs.
- The first aid giver can establish the extent of burn damage by using the Rule of Nine. This is a guide used to calculate the extent of a burn as a percentage of the body’s total surface area and to assess what level of medical attention is required. For healthy adults, a partial thickness burn of 9 percent or more can lead to shock and call for immediate hospitalization wherein 1 percent is estimated to being an area approximating that of the casualty’s hand.