Characteristics of patients treated at a burn unit and their actions at the time of the accident
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5216/ree.v14i4.15186Keywords:
Burns, Attitude, First Aid, Nursing.Abstract
This study aimed at characterizing the profile of patients treated at a burn unit and the actions they took at the time of the burn incident. Sociodemographic data and data regarding the accident were collected from the records of the rehabilitation section, spanning the period between May 2007 and May 2008, and analyzed through SPSS 18.0, which provided frequency and central tendency measures. Among the 211 patients, 62.2% were male with an average of 16.5% of their bodies burned. Alcohol and overheated liquids were the most common burn agents, and home accident was the most frequent type. Only 39% of the patients took more than one action after the burn; 29.3% did not take any action and 22.2% stated they had previous knowledge regarding first aid. Prevalence was observed for males of productive age, who acted with instinctive and immediate attention to the burn, showing a lack of awareness regarding the appropriate actions. The study shows the need for actions aimed at prevention and appropriate treatment.
Descriptors: Burns; Attitude; First Aid; Nursing.
