Management of the burn wound

Few features of the burn victim attract more attention than the damage or destruction of the skin from thermal injury. Management of the resultant burn wound is the systematic application of knowledge and technique to promote and facilitate closure of integumentary disruption. The role of the professional nurse in the management of burn wounds, often within the milieu of critical care, can be uniquely challenging and especially rewarding. This article reviews management of the burn wound with emphasis on methods, techniques, and procedures used in contemporary burn wound treatment. The article also includes nursing care plans of selected nursing diagnoses for organizing and facilitating the nursing care process.