Patient
Hi, thanks for taking my call. I'm having an issue with my hand and I'm not quite sure what to do next. I was hoping you could give me some advice on how to treat it.
Triage Assistant
Where on your hand does it hurt?
Patient
It's mostly across my palm and fingers.
Triage Assistant
When did the burn happen?
Patient
It happened earlier today, a few hours ago.
Triage Assistant
Did you apply cold water to the burn?
Patient
Yes, I did run it under cold water for a while right after it happened.
Triage Assistant
How large is the burn? Use your palm as a reference, which represents roughly 1% of your total body surface area (BSA).
Patient
The burn is about the same size as my palm, so roughly 1% of my total body surface area.
Triage Assistant
Are there any blisters on the burn?
Patient
Yes, there were some blisters, but one of them has broken open.
Triage Assistant
Are you having any pain? How bad is the pain on a scale of 1-10, where: - 1-3 is mild (doesn’t interfere with normal activities), - 4-7 is moderate (interferes with normal activities or awakens you from sleep), - 8-10 is severe (excruciating pain, unable to do any normal activities).
Patient
I'd say the pain is around a 5. It's interfering with my activities but isn't unbearable.
Triage Assistant
Are you experiencing any other symptoms, such as coughing, difficulty breathing, headache, or nausea?
Patient
No, I don't have any other symptoms like that. It's just the pain and discomfort from the burn on my hand.
Triage Assistant
Based on what you’ve told me, because your burn has a ruptured blister and is of considerable size, you should be seen by a doctor. You need to go to the Emergency Department or an Urgent Care Center now. In the meantime, here’s some first aid for your burn: - Keep the burn clean by washing it gently with warm water once a day. - You can apply an antibiotic ointment (like Bacitracin) to a dressing and then cover the burn. - Change the dressing every other day, and use warm water and a wet washcloth to remove any surface debris. For pain relief, you can take over-the-counter pain medications such as ibuprofen, acetaminophen, or naproxen based on the dosing instructions on the packaging. 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 See in Office Today.
First aid advice was given.
Some assessment questions asked.