By: Erin Camp
The Grant County Press
Approximately 25 first responders and medical professionals from all over the county came together last month to receive additional training on how to respond when a patient is injured by a burn.
Debbie Harrell, an education outreach specialist with the Shriners Children Ohio Hospital, traveled to Grant County to provide current, evidence-based, best practice in stabilization of a burn injury.
Harrell explained that burns are difficult to handle, especially in children.
“You don’t see large burns very often, but when you do it is a very serious emergency,” Harrell said. “I have done surveys for multiple years and most people haven’t received updated burn information in over 10 years. So, as medicine changes if you haven’t received education in the past 10 years, you may not know the best practices.”
Harrell explained that the information given to participants allows them to remain medically informed on handling serious burn incidents. She also explained that children are at a greatly increased risk of scalds.
“A good example of this, is that you should never use ice on a burn,” Harrell said. “Most people at home or some first responders, would think that they can use ice as a burn treatment in the moment. However, what actually happens is the patient’s temperature can drop too low and that will greatly affect their outcome, including mortality. If you don’t know to keep them warm and dry at the scene, if you use cold water or ice and they are dropped off at the hospital, that responder will have not known that it caused a complication.”
Harrell encouraged anyone interested in learning more about Shriners Hospital’s pediatric burn care unit, to contact 855-236-9944 or to visit www.shrinerschildrens.org/en/pediatric-care/burn-care.
“At Shriners Hospital, we are a pediatric hospital, so we take new patients up to the age of 18. And one of the biggest benefits of Shriners is that it comes at no financial impact to the family. It’s all taken care of for them,” Harrell said. “We also provide wrap-around care, which means we take care of a patient until they don’t need our services anymore. We also provide transportation support, usually from the really great people who already live in the community and are Shriners.”
For information on Shriners, patient care or to get involved or support their local efforts, contact Arlie Ashby at 304-257-7506 or the Osiris Shrine in Wheeling at 304-242-2911.
A second educational event about treating and stabilizing a burn will be held in May at Grant Memorial Hospital in Petersburg.
