Burns in prisoners: an assessment of problems in handling prisoners in a burns unit

All burns units look after members of the prison population at times. This can cause anxiety among the staff and unique problems with management. Four cases-were reviewed from Her Majesty's Prison (HMP) Perth, Scotland, all of whom required resuscitation, and a survey undertaken of the nursing staff in our unit to assess attitudes to caring for burns prisoners in particular. Despite a careful search of the literature, no reference to the problems of managing prisoners in a burns unit could be found. However, it was found that the handling of violent offenders can be a significant cause of anxiety for nursing staff, and the presence of prison officers a reassurance rather than a hindrance in the management of burned prisoners. It is therefore recommended that prison officers be present at all times while managing burned prisoners.