Burns

Structured condition card with NCLEX priority cues and nursing action focus.

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Integumentary / Burns / Woundshigh priorityneeds review

Burns

Practice

Etiology / Pathophysiology

  • Thermal, chemical, electrical, radiation, or inhalation injury damages skin and tissue.
  • Loss of skin barrier causes fluid shifts, infection risk, pain, and thermoregulation problems.

Medications

No specific medication class was seeded for this card.

Nursing actions

  • Prioritize airway for face/neck burns, soot, hoarseness, or enclosed-space fire.
  • Estimate burn size/depth and monitor fluids, urine output, and pain.
  • Use infection prevention, wound care, and temperature control.

Complications

  • Airway edema
  • Shock
  • Infection
  • Contractures
  • Hypothermia

NCLEX cues

  • Airway before burn appearance.
  • Circumferential burns can impair circulation.

Memory hooks

  • Burn ABC: airway before skin.

Labs / Diagnostics

  • Trend assessment findings and ordered diagnostics; verify exact values with school source material.

Review notes

  • Session-derived study seed. Verify against school materials, ATI/NCLEX review sources, current orders, and facility policy before relying on details.

Drive Pack cross references

BurnsCondition