Miss Brenda Chapman¹, Ms Tania McWilliams¹, Professor Fiona  Wood

¹Perth Children’s Hospital, Nedlands , Australia

Abstract:

Introduction:

As the only paediatric Burns Service in Western Australia we strive to continually improve burn treatment and all aspects of the burn injured patient journey. Every intervention from the point of injury will influence the scar worn for life.  As such, innovations and advances in burn care are evaluated and implemented in our daily nursing practice.

Aim:

Our ultimate aim is to decrease the pain and trauma of our patients. We will assess the effectiveness of various dressing removal techniques.

Method:

Questionnaires addressing the methods used to remove adherent dressings will be provided to the nursing cohort. Patient pain assessments will be reviewed and compared.

Results:

The nursing questionnaires will be reviewed, themes collated and comparisons of the dressing removal techniques will be discussed. Patient pain assessments and identified outcomes will be investigated, addressed and best practice recommended.

Conclusion:

Burn wounds are painful and patients are anxious. The importance of the patient experience is highlighted as this impacts compliance and coping. Atraumatic dressing removal is critical from both a patient pain experience and wound healing perspective. Best practice is the aim of all interventions in the burn care journey.

Biography:

Western Australian Burns Service

Perth Children’s Hospital

Burns Staff Development Nurse