The tones sound at your station and as you proceed to the engine you hear the dispatcher’s voice over the loudspeaker: “Engine 3, Medic 7 priority two for a burn victim.”
After advising that you are en route you receive an update: “Engine 3, Medic 7, I show you responding to 768 West Palm Ct. The caller is reporting that a 58-year-old woman burned herself with some kind of liquid while cooking.”
You arrive on scene and once in the residence are directed to the downstairs bathroom next to the kitchen. Paula, your patient, is standing in the shower with the water running. She appears to be in a great deal of pain and is conscious and alert. Her breathing is rapid and shallow.
When you ask what happened, Paula says that she was canning homemade jam with her sister when she bumped a three-gallon pot on the stove filled with boiling water, causing it to slip off the burner. She reacted by pushing the pot back on the burner, but burned her hand in the process. When she pulled her hand back quickly the pot tipped, spilling water down the front of her body. She states that she ran to the bathroom and turned on the water after yelling for her sister to call 911.
A visual inspection reveals that Paula has red, blistered skin on the anterior or front of her body from the waist to both knees. Additionally, her right posterior leg exhibits similar burns. Paula has stable vital signs, denies all medical history and weighs approximately 70 kg.
As the medic unit arrives, you assist Paula from the shower (where she has been for approximately 10 minutes since being burned) and wrap her in a sterile burn sheet.
At this point think about the following questions:
- How much of the patient’s body is burned?
- When is a burn considered critical?
- After initial burn care what are your next steps?
- Are there any concerns you have moving forward with the care of this patient?
Post your answers below in the comments and view the clinical solution for this patient.
