Burns : journal of the International Society for Burn Injuries
-
Observational Study
A retrospective, cross-sectional analysis of delirium in burn injury compared to other surgical specialities.
Delirium is an acute cerebral disorder characterised by a disturbance in cognition, attention, and awareness. Often, it's undiagnosed and associated with increased morbidity and mortality. For burn patients, the reported prevalence ranges from 16% to 39%, with a multifactorial aetiology, increasing when intensive care is required. A direct comparison of delirium between surgical specialities has not been made. ⋯ Further analysis to identify and diagnose across the specialties is required. From a patient viewpoint, their LOS, ICU hours, and operations are increased for patients coded as delirious compared to non-delirious across the specialities. On a hospital level, the mean difference in cost for a delirious compared to a non-delirious patient is AU$9317. Despite the low incidence of delirium amongst the observed specialities, burns patients were most likely to develop delirium when demographic and clinical profiles were the same, and were more likely to develop delirium at a younger age and if in ICU.
-
Severely burned patients suffer from both coagulopathy and hypothermia, with a lack of international consensus and appropriate treatment guidelines. This study examines recent developments and trends in coagulation and temperature management in European burn centers. ⋯ A point-of-care guided, factor-based coagulation management and the maintenance of normothermia have gained importance in the care of burn patients in recent years.
-
Burn injuries in childhood create serious trauma for both children and their caregivers. Burn injuries require extensive nursing care to reduce complications and to restore optimal functional health conditions. When children receive burn treatment and their caregivers are migrants with different languages, religions, and habits, nurses must adopt a cultural approach while caring for such patients. ⋯ The results of this study provide a novel insight into nurses' experiences with migrant child patients and their caregivers, and can be used to develop action plans to provide effective cultural care for patients receiving burn treatment and their caregivers.
-
Scalds are the most common mechanism of burn injury in pediatric populations and scald burns sustained during bathing present a unique opportunity for injury prevention. Evidence-based infant bathing educational resources recommend checking water temperature and having a caregiver present for the duration of the bath, but do not explicitly recommend avoiding running water or explain the associated risks. This study seeks to determine the incidence and role of running water in bathing scald burns at our institution. ⋯ We found that the vast majority of bathing scald burns involved running water, identifying a specific bathing recommendation that should be added to existing guidelines to reduce the incidence of bathing scald burns.
-
To clarify and elaborate on the choices that were made in the development of the Patient Scale of the Patient and Observer Scar Assessment Scale 3.0 (POSAS 3.0), based upon the rich information obtained from patients during focus groups and pilot tests. ⋯ Based upon the unique and rich material of patient input obtained, two versions of the Patient Scale of the POSAS3.0 were developed: the Generic version, and the Linear scar version. The discussions and decisions taken during the development are informative for a good understanding of the POSAS 3.0 and are indispensable as a background for future translations and cross-cultural adaptations.