Burns, Trauma, and Toxicology Management Flashcards

A collection of high-yield vocabulary terms and definitions covering burn classification, trauma protocols, and emergency toxicology for nursing education.

1st Degree Burn (Superficial)

Burn involving only the epidermis; characterized as red, dry, and painful with no blisters; blanches to touch and heals in $3\text{--}7$ days with no scarring.

2nd Degree Burn (Superficial Partial-Thickness)

Burn involving the epidermis and superficial dermis; characterized by a blistered, red, moist, and weeping appearance; blanches to touch and is extremely painful.

2nd Degree Burn (Deep Partial-Thickness)

Burn involving the epidermis and deep reticular dermis; characterized as pale, wet, or waxy dry with reduced blanching; takes over $21$ days to heal and carries a high risk of scarring.

3rd Degree Burn (Full-Thickness)

Burn involving the total epidermis, dermis, and sometimes subcutaneous tissue; presents as waxy white, charred, or leathery eschar with absent pain due to nerve fiber destruction; requires surgical grafting.

4th Degree Burn (Full-Thickness)

Burn involving deep structures such as subcutaneous fat, fascia, muscle, or bone; characterized by a charred or skeletonized appearance and requires surgery, fasciotomy, or amputation.

Zone of Coagulation

The central area of a burn injury containing maximum tissue damage and irreversible necrosis.

Zone of Stasis

The middle zone of a burn injury featuring injured, potentially viable cells; microvasculature is often clogged with heat-damaged erythrocytes.

Zone of Hyperemia

The outermost zone of a burn injury characterized by prominent blood flow resulting from the release of vasoactive mediators.

Rule of Nines

A method used to estimate TBSA for 2nd and 3rd-degree burns by assigning percentages to body parts: Head/Neck ($9\%$), Torso ($36\%$), each Arm ($9\%$), each Leg ($18\%$), and Perineum ($1\%$).

Palmar Surface Rule

A TBSA estimation tool where the patient’s own hand (palm plus fingers) represents roughly $1\%$ of their total body surface area.

Burn Shock

A state occurring in the emergent phase characterized by intravascular fluid deficit and cellular ischemia caused by massive capillary permeability.

Parkland Formula

A fluid resuscitation calculation: $4\,mL$ of Ringer's Lactate $\times$ Weight in kg $\times$ Percentage TBSA burned.

Curling’s Ulcer

Acute stress-induced gastric or duodenal ulcers that develop after severe burn injuries; managed with H2 antagonists.

Mafenide Acetate (Sulfamylon)

A topical therapy that effectively penetrates burn eschar to prevent Pseudomonas infections, though it can be painful upon application.

Heterograft (Xenograft)

A temporary biologic dressing using skin from a different species, most commonly pigskin.

Lethal Trauma Triad

The combination of Acidosis, Coagulopathy, and Hypothermia that develops during trauma and must be reversed to ensure survival.

Le Fort III Fracture

An extensive maxillofacial injury characterized by total craniofacial disruption.

Flail Chest

A chest wall injury where two or more ribs are fractured in two or more places, resulting in paradoxical chest wall movement.

Pulmonary Contusion

A lung 'bruise' involving hemorrhage and edema; nursing management includes positioning the patient with the injured side UP to optimize the uninjured lung.

Tension Pneumothorax

A life-threatening condition where trapped air causes a mediastinal shift and tracheal deviation away from the affected side; requires immediate needle decompression or chest tube insertion.

Beck’s Triad

A set of clinical signs for cardiac tamponade: elevated CVP with neck vein distention, muffled heart sounds, and hypotension.

Blunt Aortic Injury (BAI)

A lethal thoracic injury often presenting with upper extremity hypertension and lower extremity hypotension (pressure gradient) and pulse deficits.

Cullen’s Sign

Purplish discoloration of the flanks or umbilicus, indicating potential abdominal organ injury.

Kehr’s Sign

Referred pain to the left shoulder which serves as a clinical indicator of splenic injury.

Naloxone

The specific emergency antidote (opioid antagonist) used to reverse respiratory depression and decreased LOC in narcotic overdoses.

Theophylline Therapeutic Range

The strictly managed serum concentration of methylxanthines, defined as $5\text{--}15\,mcg/mL$.

Hypervitaminosis A (Infant Signs)

Acute toxicity in infants manifesting as increased intracranial pressure, bulging fontanelles, papilledema, and visual disturbances.