Miss Ashlee Cardey¹, Mrs Rosemary Kendell¹, Mrs Fiona  Poelchow^1,2, Dr Fiona Wood^1,2

¹State Adult Burns Unit Wa – Fiona Stanley Hospital, Murdoch, Australia, ²Fiona Wood Foundation, Murdoch, Australia

Abstract:

As Occupational Therapists working in the State Adult Burns Unit of Western Australia, a substantial part of our role involves providing comprehensive education on scarring and evidence based interventions that optimise scar outcomes for our patients.   We often find that patients are presented with conflicting information and incorrect advice from friends, family, advertising campaigns and, at times, other health professionals, as to what can help improve a scar. This presents a challenge as we must then compete with this information to correctly advise and arm our patients with evidence supported education and best practice interventions to obtain a good scar outcome.

From essential oils to egg whites, we’ve been asked about it all… but do these ‘treatments’ actually have any benefit? Could they potentially have an adverse effect? What is it that actually helps improve a scar’s appearance or texture?

This poster aims to highlight and dispel some of the common myths and beliefs surrounding treatments for scarring that we routinely encounter in our patient interactions. The poster will be designed as an educational, quick reference tool that provides answers to some of the most common patient concerns regarding scarring, whilst highlighting the most appropriate and evidenced based interventions. By researching and further understanding the various products and treatments that claim to improve a scar, as health professionals we can confidently provide the correct advice and maximise patient outcomes.

Biography:

I am an Occupational Therapist working in the State Adult Burns Service at Fiona Stanley Hospital in Western Australia.

I graduated university in 2014 and have worked in various areas across the acute hospital setting. I have a particularly keen interest in burn care and scar management and hope to continue working in this area long term.