Assessment of burn injury in the accident and emergency department: a review of 100 referrals to a regional burns unit.
Accurate assessment of the extent of thermal injury in the accident and emergency (A&E) department is essential if appropriate resuscitation and referral to a specialist unit is to occur. However, review of 100 referrals to a regional burns unit confirms that assessment is often inaccurate, and usually undertaken by no one more senior than a casualty officer, leading to suboptimal treatment and referral. Severe thermal injury should be assessed by a team of senior doctors, according to the major trauma protocol, and casualty officers should receive better training in the assessment of less extensive burns.
Laing
J H
JH
North West Thames Regional Burns Unit, Mount Vernon Hospital, Northwood, Middlesex.
Morgan
B D
BD
Sanders
R
R
D002053:Burn Units / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D002056:Burns / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D003951:Diagnostic Errors; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000592:standards*; D004739:England; D006801:Humans; D008505:Medical Staff, Hospital; D011787:Quality of Health Care; D012017:Referral and Consultation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012189:Retrospective Studies