Paramedic Kardex

Burn Criteria

Base Contact required for destination

BURN CARE / TREATMENT:

< 10% BSA: cool with saline soaks 

> 10% BSA: cool with saline soaks 10 min. max, cover with dry dressing,

cover w/ blanket

MEDICATIONS:

- Albuterol for wheezing or bronchospasm

- Morphine for pain 

- Fentanyl for pain

Triage to Burn Center (UCI or OC Global): 

- MOI

- Suspected inhalation injury (burned in small confined space, facial burns, hoarseness, dyspnea, soot in mouth, carbonaceous sputum, singed nasal hairs)

- High voltage/electric burns (including lightning injury)

- Chemical burns

- Burns involving face, hands, feet, genitalia, perineum, major joints

- Circumferential burns

- Major pre-existing medical conditions (e.g. diabetes, renal failure, cardiac or pulmonary disease)

- 2nd or 3rd Degree burns > 10% BSA in any age group

SPECIAL NOTES:

- Estimating burn surface %: Patient’s palm size = 1% burn

- Chemical burns: Brush away any remaining dry chemical, irrigate burn wound and surrounding skin with copious and continuous water/saline to dilute and mechanically remove as much residual chemical as possible.

NOTE:

- Some chemicals are activated by water/fluids and might worsen burn or create hazardous fumes (e.g. sodium phosphorus, acetyl bromide, aluminum carbide, silicon tetrachloride).