Burns : journal of the International Society for Burn Injuries
-
Burn injuries are one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in the pediatric population. In early childhood, burns have a wide range of adverse long-term consequences ranging from functional impairment to psychological implications. Children from low-income and middle-income countries are at a higher risk of suffering from burn injuries. In the last 10 years the population of asylum seekers from low-income countries in Israel has increased dramatically. About 25,000 or 60% of asylum seekers are living in the Tel Aviv area, making up roughly 6% of the city's total population (about 405,000). ⋯ There was no significant difference regarding: age; male-female ratio; scald-types burns; limb involvement. However, hospitalization and length of hospital stay were significantly higher among asylum seekers, as was family burden. Questions may be raised regarding prevention, education & social support. Our research provides a small glimpse into the world of asylum seekers in Israel. We hope it will serve as a window into the much grander problems that this population faces on a daily basis.
-
Review
Experiences of guilt, shame and blame in those affected by burns: A qualitative systematic review.
A significant burn can severely impact the lives of survivors and their carers. This systematic review sought to incorporate the experiences of guilt, blame and shame across the lifespan for burn survivors, their families as well as the experiences of the parents of burned children. ⋯ From the findings of the literature searches and the post-burn experiences described in this review there is a gap in the psychological care for burn survivors and their caregivers. This is specifically relevant around issues of parental guilt and blame, ruminations of guilt and shame as well as body image. These findings may not be new to burns professionals but the key message is that management of these issues fall short of delivering comprehensive post trauma care. Identifying and highlighting the importance of residual psychosocial problems will ultimately influence positive outcomes for burn survivors.
-
Feeding tubes in burn patients are at high risk for becoming dislodged as traditional tape securement does not adhere well to sloughed skin, resulting in nutrition delivery disruption and placing patients at increased risk for iatrogenic injury upon reinsertion. ⋯ Utilization of a nasal bridle system provides a reliable method for securement of nasoenteric feeding tubes with clinical benefits in the burn patient population.
-
The Advanced Burn Life Support (ABLS) program is a burn-education curriculum nearly 30 years in the making, focusing on the unique challenges of the first 24h of care after burn injury. Our team applied high fidelity human patient simulation (HFHPS) to the established ABLS curriculum. Our hypothesis was that HFHPS would be a feasible, easily replicable, and valuable adjunct to the current curriculum that would enhance learner experience. ⋯ Integrating HFHPS with the current ABLS curriculum led to higher written exam scores, high levels of confidence, satisfaction, and active learning, and presented an evidenced-based model for education that is easily employable for other facilities nationwide.
-
Rapid estimation of acute hand burns is important for communication, standardisation of assessment, rehabilitation and research. Use of an individual's own thumbprint area as a fraction of their total hand surface area was evaluated to assess potential utility in hand burn evaluation. ⋯ We have demonstrated how thumbprint area serves as a simple method for evaluating hand burn surface area.