383 Introduction of a Burns Admission Proforma to Improve Patient Admission Clerking and Management

Abstract

Abstract Introduction Patients who suffer burns present with a variation in the cause, depth, and size of their burns. A number of factors are important in determining the successful management of these patients such as age, cause, time since burn, first aid, co-morbidities, medication, burn size, depth and area, associated injuries, and social circumstances. Appropriate documentation, assessment, and examination in order to guide treatment is therefore imperative to good management and positive outcomes. We performed an audit of admission documentation to our burns unit and introduced a proforma to determine whether there was an improvement in important assessment criteria in order to enhance patient care. Method We retrospectively assessed burns admission documentation in 25 patients recently admitted against important assessment criteria. We then introduced a burns admission proforma to the unit and collected the results of 25 further patients in which the proforma was used. Results Introduction of the proforma showed an improvement in documentation, examination, and recorded management in almost all areas assessed, excluding allergies where there was a reduction. Conclusions Use of a proforma is beneficial in enhancing patient admission documentation and assessment, therefore directing appropriate management by focusing on all areas of patient care. However, the content of the proforma results in adherence to the assigned assessment parameters with limited deviation. Therefore, it is important when using a proforma to include all areas which are important to assessment otherwise they may be overlooked. Their use could be expanded to local emergency departments to ensure appropriate initial assessment, resuscitative management, and referral.