Patient
Hi, thanks for taking my call. I'm having a bit of a medical issue and I'm not quite sure what to do next. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Triage Assistant
Where does it hurt?
Patient
It's my hand that's hurting quite a bit.
Triage Assistant
When did it happen? Did you apply cold water?
Patient
It happened earlier today. Yes, I did run it under cold water right after it happened, but it doesn't seem to be helping much.
Triage Assistant
Where exactly on your hand is the burn located?
Patient
The burn is mostly on the back of my hand and on my fingers.
Triage Assistant
How large is the burn? You can use the size of your palm (not including fingers) as a reference, which is about 0.5% of your total body surface area (BSA).
Patient
The burn is a bit larger than my palm, covering the back of my hand and a few of my fingers.
Triage Assistant
Are there any blisters present on the burn?
Patient
Yes, there are quite a few blisters on it now.
Triage Assistant
How is the pain on a scale from 1 to 10, or would you describe it as mild, moderate, or severe? (Mild: 1-3, Moderate: 4-7, Severe: 8-10)
Patient
The pain is pretty severe; I'd say it's around an 8 or 9.
Triage Assistant
Given the severity of pain and the presence of multiple blisters, you should go to the Emergency Department (ED) now to get proper treatment. In the meantime, continue to keep the burn area cool and clean. You can apply a cold, wet washcloth to the burn, but avoid applying ice directly. Thank you for calling, goodbye.
Call EMS 911 Now
See More Appropriate Protocol
Go to ED Now
Go to ED/UCC Now (or to Office With PCP Approval)
Go to Office Now
See in Office Today
See in Office Today or Tomorrow
See in Office Within 3 Days
Home Care
Triage result should be Go to ED/UCC Now (or to Office With PCP Approval).
First aid advice was given.
Some assessment questions asked.