Measurements in burns

McKinnell, T; Pape, SA

doi:10.1007/978-1-4471-2987-5_14

Measurements in burns

Lookup NU author(s): Sarah Pape

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Abstract

© 2013 Springer-Verlag London. All rights are reserved. Measurement is fundamental to the assessment of patients with burns throughout their care. Burns are common injuries, with potentially serious sequelae [1, 2]. Burn injuries produce a major drain on health service resources and are a source of national economic loss [3] (UK Government 2006). Survival following a burn injury is directly related to the extent and depth of the burn as well as being influenced by additional risk factors such as inhalation injury, pre-existing illness and age. There is considerable evidence that doctors working in Emergency Departments may lack sufficient experience to make an accurate assessment of the seriousness of a burn and may overlook other risk factors. This may have a significant effect upon the final outcome [4-6]. Throughout the burn patient's hospital stay it is necessary to measure the response to treatment in order to tailor the healthcare to individual need. Once treatment is complete there are further opportunities to measure outcomes.