How to Assess a Burn Injury

Assessing the severity of a burn is an important part of determining how to treat the burn, as well as deciding whether to evacuate the victim.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

1. Look at the burn site: If the skin is red and painful but there are no blisters, chances are it's a superficial burn.
2. Look for blistering and wetness and ask about degree of pain. If blistering is present and pain is severe, the burn is probably partial-thickness.
3. Consider a full-thickness burn if the injured person reports no pain, or just a dull pain, in the center of the burned area. The skin may also look charred and grayish in color.
4. Look at the injured person's palm: The surface area of the palm represents approximately 1 percent of the person's TBSA (total body surface area).
5. Compare this area to the extent of the burn to arrive at a TBSA figure. Burns covering more than 15 percent TBSA are life-threatening, especially partial- and full-thickness burns.
6. Continue with treatment for the burn (see "How to Treat a Burn in the Wilderness").

Tips & Warnings

• The terminology of burn depth has changed: Superficial, partial-thickness and full-thickness used to be known as first-, second- and third-degree. You may be more familiar with that naming system.
• Blisters may take up to 24 hours to develop in partial-thickness burns, so lack of blisters doesn't necessarily mean the burn is only superficial. Degree of pain may be a more reliable immediate measure.
• Burns in certain areas are more dangerous than others: the face, neck, hands, feet, armpits, groin, genitals and buttocks.
• When in doubt, evacuate the burn victim.
• This information is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice or treatment.