References/Help for Peds Burn Pts.

[WestCoastSunRN, MSN, CNS]

Hi all! There doesn't seem to be a ton of activity in this forum, so I'm hoping some experienced burn nurses will see this. I'm new to burn nursing.... done adult ICU for 10+ years, but now I'm working with both adults and peds in a burn unit. I think this may be the only critical care area, besides ER, where you'd take care of both peds and adults. Would love advice on how to beef up my peds competency -- and especially as it relates to burns. I figure burn nurses would also have advice on how be able to nimbly jump from an adult to a ped patient during a shift.

Any and all tips, advice, book suggestions, articles, etc. welcome!!

[marienm, RN, CCRN]

I only work with adults...peds pts go to our children's hospital no matter their diagnosis. Burn-specific issues that *might* apply to kids include range-of-motion/PT/OT (does it get done during a dressing change? Only in the therapy room? How does their dressing and graft allow them to move?), wound care (when is it done & who needs to be present? Is it done under moderate sedation for a non-vented pt? Do the parents/caregivers participate?), nutrition (vented pts probably get NGT/OGT/NJT, but what about after extubation?), infection control (what precautions are taken with visitors to allow 'normal' interactions with a child but reduce the risk?). Does your hospital have a children's hospital with all those resources (child life specialists, play room, peds chaplain, etc) and can peds burns and their families use these resources?

Sorry I can't be more help!

[WestCoastSunRN, MSN, CNS]

Thanks merienm. I ordered Hazincki's Nursing Care of the Critically Ill child after perusing the PICU forums.

Im excited to be delving into pediatrics without giving up adults in a critical care setting. I think it's a pretty amazing opportunity that is unique to Burn nursing. But because it's such a specialty niche there aren't a ton of published resources.