Chapter 44: Burns (Minor) Buttaro: Primary Care: A Collaborative Practice, 6th Edition

Multiple Choice

1. A patient comes to the clinic after being splashed with boiling water while cooking. The patient has partial thickness burns on both forearms, the neck, and the chin. What will the provider do?

a. Clean and dress the burn wounds.

b. Order a CBC, glucose, and electrolytes.

c. Perform a chest radiograph.

d. Refer the patient to the emergency department (ED).

ANS: D a. Begin aggressive irrigation of the site. b. Contact the poison control center. c. Remove the offending chemical and garments. d. Request the Material Safety Data information.

Patients with burns on the face, potential circumferential burns, and any patient at risk of airway compromise should be referred to the ED for evaluation and treatment. The provider should do this urgently and not clean and dress the wounds or order diagnostic tests.

2. A patient sustains chemical burns on both arms after a spill at work. What is the initial action by the health care providers in the emergency department (ED)?

ANS: C

The initial response to a chemical burn is to remove the patient’s clothing and the offending chemical. Aggressive irrigation is usually recommended next, but providers should first determine the source to make sure that it is safe to use water. Contacting Poison Control and getting MSDS information are useful measures after the clothing and chemical is removed.

NURSINGTB.COM