Burns - second-degree

Etiology / Pathophysiology

• Thermal, chemical, electrical, radiation, or scald injury damages epidermis and part of dermis.
• Dermal injury causes blistering, severe pain, weeping, and fluid loss.

Medications

No specific medication class was seeded for this card.

Signs / symptoms

• Blisters, wet appearance, severe pain.
• Do not pop blisters for routine first aid teaching.
• Large burns require fluid calculation/monitoring.

Nursing actions

• Prioritize airway for face/neck/inhalation risk before wound appearance.
• Assess TBSA, pain, circulation, wound color/moisture, and tetanus status.
• Use clean dressings, infection prevention, fluid monitoring, and pain control as ordered.

Complications

• Fluid loss
• Infection
• Scarring
• Hypothermia

NCLEX cues

• Blisters, wet appearance, severe pain.
• Do not pop blisters for routine first aid teaching.
• Large burns require fluid calculation/monitoring.

Memory hooks

• Second-degree is blistered and wet.

Labs / Diagnostics

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

Review notes

• Supplemental wife-requested study card. Use for NCLEX review only and verify against school materials, ATI/NCLEX review sources, current orders, and facility policy.