Citation

Abrams TE, Li X, Wyatt TH, Staples CI, Coe DP, Hickerson WL. Health Soc. Work 2019; ePub(ePub): ePub.

Affiliation

University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis & Director of Firefighters Regional Burn Center, Memphis.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2019, Oxford University Press)

DOI

10.1093/hsw/hlz018

PMID

31424508

Abstract

In 2016, approximately 24,000 emergency room patients who presented with burn injuries met the American Burn Association’s (ABA) protocol for transfer or admission to burn centers (ABA, 2017). Burn treatment has progressed tremendously over the past five decades and while in the burn center all of patients’ needs are met by the burn care team. Immediately on discharge, families and frequently unprepared community providers are expected to assume patient care. Discharge instructions may be confusing, family members often feel insecure about performing painful wound care, and local health and mental health resources for burn patients may be lacking. Inadequate postdischarge wound care, even after successful hospitalization, may result in serious complications including infection, marginal healing, and unplanned hospital readmissions (...

© 2019 National Association of Social Workers

Language: en