Burn victim's being NPO

[dbenko13]

Good day, AllNurses' members!

I am in my 4th quarter of an LPN program and am studying for a final on Friday. I understand that a burn victim has to be NPO 24 hours post-injury, but can someone please explain to me the rationale?

I thank you in advance for your help!

Daniel Benko, Galen College of Nursing student

[BabyLady, BSN, RN]

Their esophagus is usually too swollen and when the body suffers that kind of trauma, between the drugs and the hit to the body, the GI system is the first to shut down or barely function.

[dbenko13]

Thank you, BabyLady,

Is the esophagus swollen in every burn, or just for inhalation burns?

[TessaMae]

No.

Thank you, BabyLady,

Is the esophagus swollen in every burn, or just for inhalation burns?

Think of the flight or flight analogy...this patient needs their body to focus its energy on the burn not on digesting food.

[Daytonite, BSN, RN]

burn patients are kept npo for 24 hours until the severity and extent of their burns have been established. once severity and extent of their burns is known high calorie high protein drinks can be started. if oral feeding is not possible then tpn will be started. (reference: nurse's 5-minute clinical consult: diseases, page 146)