Consequences of Burn Injuries
This assignment will help you reflect on some of the major concepts learned in Chapter 6 of your course textbook. First, you will consider structural damage to skin due to a burn injury. Then, you will predict changes that would occur in the integumentary system due to healing.
This assignment will prepare you to successfully complete these tasks:
- Describe specific functions associated with each layer of skin.
- Explain the response of the integumentary system following an injury, including the various physiological processes and cellular events that contribute to wound healing and tissue repair.
Instructions
For this journal entry, address the following:
- Read the case study.
- Use the case study information to answer the questions.
Case Study
A patient has just been brought into the emergency room following a fiery explosion at a chemical plant. The patient has been diagnosed with third-degree burns across the trunk and left arm.
- List and briefly describe the major functions of the skin.
- Define a third-degree burn. What structures are involved? What would you expect to find on physical exam of this patient?
- Using the rule of nines, estimate the percentage of body surface area affected by burns on this patient. Explain your calculations.
- Why is it important to calculate percentage of body surface area affected by a burn?