How to Treat Third Degree Burns

Video Transcript

CAPT. JOE BRUNI: Hi. I am Capt. Joe Bruni with over three decades of firefighting and emergency medical service experience. What we are going to go over and talk about is treatment of the third-degree type of burn injury. Third-degree burns can be caused by some type of thermal injury, chemical injury or electrical injury. Third-degree burns involve tissue destruction and must have immediate treatment completed on them. A third-degree burn injury can involve large portions of the body. If the area is small in nature such as this type of burn injury, it can be cooled with some type of cool water or cold compress or cool compress for no longer than 1 minute at a time. This will reduce swelling, reduce pain, and help speed the healing process. With this type of injury, cooling for longer than a minute can involve hypothermia to set in, endangering the patient. We would take some type of clean sterile dressing if available and if not some type of dry, clean sheet will work for large surface area burns of this nature. That will be placed over the burn injury area and taped in place on all sides. Ice should never be used with this type of injury as it will cause a constriction of the blood vessels, reducing blood flow to the skin surface area. Remember, to treat the third-degree burn area, it must be remembered to first cool with compresses or cool water for no more than one minute at a time as this will cause hypothermia in the patient for longer periods, then quickly applying some type of sterile or clean dressing for small areas or large areas. If sterile dressings are not available, some type of clean sheet can be used over the area, and then the patient should be transported or taken for medical help, remembering that hypothermia can set in, so try and keep the patient warm.