N213: Health Differences Across the Life Span 3

N213: Health Differences Across the Lifespan 3 Study Guide • Provide immediate first-aid for bleeding, fracture, or shock • Monitor for complications frequently • Perform patient and family teaching regarding safety, lighting, and securing all rugs • Monitor for suicide attempts and refer to appropriate agencies • Encourage children and adults to use bike helmets and knee and elbow protection for sports • Use “fall risk” measures for patients with underlying conditions ormedications Expected outcomes for fall injuries: • Patient remains free from injuries • Patient and family/caregivers understand safety measures for fall prevention • Patients seek help from mental health agencies or drug and alcohol rehabilitation if needed Burns Burns can cause injury to the skin and underlying tissue due to heat, radiation, electricity, or chemical exposure. Heat is one of the most common causes of burns in older people, and in children, scalding by hot substances. In fires, thermal burns cause up to 60% of deaths due to inhalation of heat into the lungs. The next most common are burns by chemicals that happen when the patient comes in contact with a chemical substance internally or externally. Lastly, electrical burns happen with bad wiring, lightening, downed power lines, and children putting their mouths over electrical sources. There are three classifications of burns: • Superficial or first-degree: These only involve the top layer of skin or the epidermis and are easily treatable. They heal quickly without any problems. • Partial-thickness or second degree: These burns go through the epidermis into the actual dermis and the dermal tissue that is unharmed can help re-epithelialize the wound. Treatment consists of daily wound cleansing, debridement, and sterile dressings. • Full-thickness or third degree: These wounds go through the epidermis, the dermis, and into the underlying tissues. These often require skin grafting from another part of the body and care needs to be taken to prevent complications. These burns can result in fluid loss and loss of the skin’s ability to protect the body. Fluid can also shift into intravascular spaces called “third spacing.” Signs and symptoms of superficial burns: • Pain • Erythema • Edema ©2017 Achieve Test Prep Page 146 of 204