For chemical or electrical exposure burns, which actions are indicated?

• A. Remove jewelry constricting items, and expose burned area; identify entry and exit sites, apply sterile dressings; if eye involvement, continuous saline flush in affected eyes for 10-15 mins
• B. Leave jewelry on and cover with ointment
• C. Do not remove jewelry; isolate area; ignore eye involvement
• D. Cover with dry dressing only; no irrigation

Answer: (A)

Immediate management of chemical or electrical burns focuses on removing restrictive items, assessing the injury, and starting appropriate decontamination and protection right away. Remove jewelry and other constricting items so swelling doesn’t cut off circulation as the tissues swell. Expose the burned area to properly assess the extent and to identify possible entry and exit wounds in electrical injuries. Apply sterile dressings to protect the area and reduce contamination; avoid ointments on burn wounds, since they can trap heat and hinder assessment. If eyes are involved due to chemical exposure, begin continuous irrigation with saline for about 10–15 minutes to dilute and remove the chemical and minimize damage.

Leaving jewelry on, covering with ointment, not removing jewelry and ignoring eye involvement, or using only a dry dressing with no irrigation fail to address the critical steps of decontamination, swelling prevention, and ocular flushing that are essential in these injuries.