SLC21/WK6: Understanding Burns: Types, Causes, and First Aid Responses "

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Hello teacher

Write a detailed first aid response for the following scenario: You witness a child accidentally spilling hot tea on their arm. What immediate steps will you take? What actions will you avoid?Include considerations for burn severity and explain your reasoning

When I witness a child accidentally spilling hot tea on their arm my immediate steps will be the following

It is important to note that this is a thermal burn because it involves hot liquid which is hot tea.

I will apply "DRABC" having safety in mind. I will move on to remove the child away from danger, making sure he is safe from the hot liquid, this will also give me a safe environment to access the child. This action will also keep me safe.

My next action will be to Access the Childs situation ( To know the burn level or severity). When accessing the childs situation, I check out the burn level by looking at his arm. To know if it is a first degree burn, I will check if the burn affected only the outermost layer of the skin, I will look out for redness of his arm and swelling.

To know if it is a second degree burn I will check out for blisters on the arm and check if he feels much pain, this will make me know that the burn went further to dermis and didn't affect just the epidermis of the skin.

But if it is a third degree burn,what I will notice is a painless and white charred skin colour than I will know it is a third degree burn because it went deeper and affected the tissue and all skin layers.

Cool the burn
To cool the burn, I place the burn area under normal room temperature of water or cool water for about 20 minutes. Doing this will help reduce the pain and bring calmness.

Remove the items near burn Area
I will remove every material near the burn area, to prevent infection or cause any form of irritation on the child. This process is done before I go ahead to cook the burn.

Monitor and comfort the child
Making the child feel calm and less pain is very essential, I can do this by causing a distraction reassuring them that every thing is fine. This will I turn make them stable. I will also check for signs knowing if the child is in shock, this applies in severe cases.

Call for help
I will call for medical help or assistance immediately, if I notice it's a second degree or third degree burn.

Actions I will Avoid

The use of ice on the affected area will be avoided, rather I would use cool or room temperature water.

I will avoid breaking the blisters because it exposes the burn area to infection.

I will avoid applying oily or creamy substance on the affected area, this can worsen the situation because doing so can trap heat into the injury.

I will not cover the affected area with any cloth because covering the affected area may lead to further irritation.

I will avoid Panic. Panic from me or the child will be avoided. This will help everyone stay calm.

Considerations
When considering the severity of burn, it is important to take into account the 3 types of burn.

First Degree burn

First Degree type of burn is usually the most common types of burn people experience and it is less severe. Only the surface of the skin are affected in this kind of burn, healing process can take like 3-7days and needs little or no medical help, just care and cooling is needed.

Second Degree burn
This kind of burn is mild but it doesn't just affect the surface layer of the skin, it moves little deeper to the dermis of the skin and so may require medical help especially when it occured in sensitive parts.

Third degree burn
This always needs medical attention because it is usually more severe than others. The burn goes deeper than the second degree and my require a surgery because critical areas are affected. Healing process takes longer time like months.

Reasoning

The aim of this step is to prevent further or more damage, pain or any irritation. All this is done to effectively manage injuries and give a cooling effect on areas affected.

A worker in a warehouse suffers an electrical burn after touching exposed live wires. The burn site shows entrance and exit points, with damage to the skin and underlying tissues. What are the immediate first aid actions you should take, and what critical steps should you avoid? How does this differ from treating thermal burns?"

My immediate first aid actions

• I will put safety first. Before touching the victim, I would look around for the power source to switch it off.

• I will check if the worker is really awake and responding, by tapping him on the shoulder to ask if he is okay. In a situation where the worker is not responsive, I will perform CPR, making sure their ways are cleared and call for help.

• I will put of the fire if the fire is still ongoing using a fire extinguisher

• I won't expose the victim to water so that he won't be exposed to any form of shock. Instead, I will cover the areas affected with cloth that is clean, dry or sterile or non sticky gauze.

• I will prepare the worker to be taken to the hospital so that his condition can be taken care of.

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Critical Steps I will Avoid

I will avoid entering the fire scene without been properly protected. Like putting on my rubber gloves and boot with and overall.

I will avoid touching the victim without putting off the power from the power source.

I will avoid exposing the affected area of burn with water because it can cause more irritation

I will avoid opening any blisters I see on the affected area

I will avoid applying anything on the affected areas like oil or cream substances.

I will avoid any form of panic.

Difference Between Electricity Burn and thermal burn

• Electricity burns are more severe than thermal burn.

• In Electrical burn, the burn goes deeper affecting the internal organs unlike the thermal where the injuries are the the surface of the skin.

• Electricity burns are either on the 2nd or third level type of burn on like thermal burn that is first level.

• Electricity Burn requires the attention of medical help and first aid does really takes care of it totally while thermal burn sometimes do not require urgent medical help, can be handled with first aid.

A worker in a factory accidentally spills a strong acid on their arm, causing immediate pain, redness, and blistering. A colleague tries to wash it off with water but notices the burn spreading ,Identify the type of burn.What went wrong during the initial first aid?Propose the correct first aid steps and explain why each step is important

A) The type of burn experienced here is the Chemical burn. This is because acid is involved leading to pain, redness and blisters.

B) What went wrong during the initial first aid?
The mistake was made when the colleague tried to wash it off with water. Water can not dissolve or neutralize acid, water reacted with the acid to worsen the case because the burn spread.

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C) The Proposed correct first aid steps

The first thing I will do is to call for help or assistance if the medical team responsible to handle such case by dialing their number.

I will put on groves to protect my self from any chemical around

I will take off the clothes or jewelries that has chemical on them gently to prevent more injuries on the body parts.

I will wash the affected area with running water that is cool for about 20 minutes until the chemical leaves.

While at it, I will be careful not to allow the chemical enter the eyes but if I notice it touched the eyes, I tilt head and wash off with water.

Next is to cover the affected area with clean and dry clothes or non sticky gauze

I will monitor the victim for any form of shock, I will check out for the help I have called.

Each of these steps are important because it all aids to the fast recovery of the victim, preventing more injuries and infection. Preparing them for the hospital.

You are a first responder in a rural area. Two people are injured in a house fire,Person A has a large area of third-degree burns but is conscious and calm.Person B has second-degree burns on both legs and is in severe pain.You can only help one person immediately due to resource constraints.Whom do you prioritize, and why? Support your decision with medical and ethical reasoning

In this kind of scenario I will prioritize person A that has a large area of third degree even though he is calm and conscious. Third degree burn goes deeper than any other kinds of burn affecting some important vital tissues or organs. His calmness might even be as a result of shock who knows.

This kind of third degree burn can affect and damage is tissues permanently if not helped quickly. This is another reason I will prioritize him.

Person B although is in pain but his burn can be healed or taken care of when the right treatment is applied and do not cause permanent damage because it doesn't go as deep as the third degree burn.

My choice is based on ethical reason of paying attention or saving first as many whose lives are at risk to ensure they are saved.

Create an infographic on burn management. Include the following,Types of Burns and Their Causes (Electrical, Thermal, etc),Different types of burns (1st, 2nd, and 3rd degree),First aid steps for minor and major burns,What NOT to Do During Burn First Aid." Use visuals and short explanations for each point

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