Electrical Injuries and Burns

Question 1

Thermal burns should be cooled for no longer than _____ minutes

Answer 1

1-2 minutes

Question 2

For the purposes of treatment, high voltage is defined as current delivered at >________ volts

Answer 2

>500v

Question 3

Treatment of carbon monoxide poisoning involves:

Answer 3

application of high flow oxygen, removal of the patient from the toxic environment, and rapid transport to the hospital

Question 4

Fluid replacement therapy in major burn patients should target a blood pressure of _______

Answer 4

120/80 (normal adult BP)

Question 5

Decontamination of burn patients involves:

Answer 5

• Removing patient’s clothes (be sure to keep them warm)
• Flushing burns with sterile saline (no more than 1-2 minutes)
• Cleaning hair, hands and face with water and baby shampoo

Question 6

Electrical burns should be cooled for ______ minutes

Answer 6

1-2 minutes

Question 7

High voltage electrical injuries are to be treated with IV fluid replacement, starting with an initial bolus of _____ mL and maintaining at ______ mL/hr if there are no signs of shock.

Answer 7

500 mL and maintaining at 100 mL/hr if there are no signs of shock.

Question 8

Entonox _____ (is / is not) indicated for pain mangement of major thermal burns

Answer 8

is

Question 9

You are working at a remote station and will be caring for a major burns patient for several hours. They have burns covering 30% of their body and they have an estimated mass of 80 kg. You should set the flow rate for IV fluid admin to _____ mL/hr

Answer 9

600 mL/hr

Longer term care fluid requirements may involve the Parkland Formula:

(0.25 X patients weight in kg) X % burn = ml/hour infusion

Question 10

High voltage electrical injuries with signs of shock should be managed with IV fluid replacement, targeting a systolic BP of _____

Answer 10

90 mm Hg

Question 11

It is important to determine the ______ and ______ on scene when there is an electrical injury.

Answer 11

type of current and duration of contact

Question 12

List four ways in which electrical energy trauma may lead to injury:

Answer 12

• Direct tissue trauma due to the passage of current. This results in damage to bone, muscle, nerve and soft tissues and is seen mainly with high voltage current
• Electric effect on the brain leading to loss of consciousness and respiratory arrest
• Affect of current to the heart leading to ventricular fibrillation.
• Trauma secondary to being thrown or falls post electric injury

Question 13

Patients with major burns should receive __________ (high flow / low flow) oxygen

Answer 13

high flow oxygen (humidified if available)

Question 14

Dressings for major burns should be _____ (wet / dry)

Answer 14

dry