Multidisciplinary team approach to the pediatric burn patient

Burn trauma is the most devastating injury the body can sustain. Each year, 100,000 victims will sustain burn injuries serious enough to require hospitalization; 35% of these victims are children. The Shriners Hospitals for Crippled Children Burns Institute, Cincinnati Unit (SBI-Cincinnati), is a 30-bed hospital with all of the support systems of a major university medical center. SBI-Cincinnati uses a multidisciplinary team approach to family-centered care. The primary nurse and physician collaborate with the rest of the health care team to manage all aspects of care. This approach assures that coordination of care occurs and allows the family the opportunity to maintain a unique role as the primary caregiver.