Knowledge level on the management of pediatric burn patients among physicians working in the emergency department

BACKGROUND: Prognosis of burned child is heavily influenced by how they are treated in the first 24 h. This study aimed to assess the degree of knowledge of emergency department physicians about the pediatric burn patients.
METHODS: The study included 229 physicians (80 emergency medicine specialists, 84 pediatricians, and 65 general practitioners). The questions were organized into six categories, each based on the Turkish Ministry of Health’s Burn Treatment Algorithm, American Burn Association criteria, and current literature: 1 – Etiology and Degree of Burn, 2 – Emergency Medical Intervention, 3 – Calculation of Burn Area and Fluid-electrolyte Treatment, 4 – Indications for Hospitalization in Burn Treatment Units, 5 – Judicial and Medical Liability, and 6 – Training Sufficiency and Demand for Burn Injury Training. Questionnaire form was sent to the participants through the WhatsApp application. The outcomes were rated as 75-100% good, 50%–75% moderate, and <50% poor.
RESULTS: The overall knowledge level of physicians about pediatric burns was moderate, with a score of 57.65±10.13 (emergency medicine specialists: 60.11, pediatricians: 57.56, and general practitioners: 54.75). Emergency medical intervention scores (35.02±22.43) and burn treatment units and hospitalization indications scores (38.6±18.96) were both low. Despite having a statistically significant higher medical intervention score than the pediatricians and general practitioners, the knowledge level of the emergency medicine specialists was poor.
CONCLUSION: As result, physicians practicing in the emergency department have a poor knowledge level about pediatric burns. Hence, pediatric burn education should be provided to all emergency department physicians.

Acil serviste çalýþan doktorlarýn yanýk travmalý çocuk hasta yönetimi bilgi düzeyi

AMAÇ: Çocuklarda yanýk travmasý mortalite ve morbiditesi yüksek acil bir sorundur. Bu hastalarýn ilk 24 saat içindeki yönetimi prognozu önemli oranda etkiler. Amacýmýz acil serviste çalýþan doktorlarýn çocuk yanýk travmalý hasta yönetimi bilgi düzeyini deðerlendirmektir.
GEREÇ VE YÖNTEM: Çalýþma acil serviste çalýþan 229 doktor (acil týp uzmaný=80, pediatrist=84 ve pratisyen=65) ile yapýldý. Sorular Türkiye Saðlýk Bakanlýðý Yanýk Algoritma Rehberi, Amerikan Yanýk Derneði kriterleri ve güncel literatür esas alýnarak altý baþlýkta hazýrlandý; 1- Etiyoloji ve yanýk derecesi, 2- acil týbbi müdahale, 3- yanýk alanýný hesaplama ve sývý-elektrolit tedavisi, 4- yanýk tedavi birimleri yatýþ endikasyonlarý, 5- adli ve týbbi sorumluluk, 6- eðitim yeterliliði ve talebi. Çoktan seçmeli 25 soru Whatsapp uygulamasý ile katýlýmcýlara iletildi. Sonuçlar 100 puan üzerinden >%75 iyi, %50–75 orta, <%50 düþük þeklinde deðerlendirildi.
BULGULAR: Acil serviste çalýþan doktorlarýn çocuk yanýklarý toplam bilgi düzeyi 57.65±10.13 (Acil Týp: 60.11, Pediatrist: 57.56, Pratisyen: 54.75) puan ile orta idi. Acil týbbi müdahale puaný (35.02±22.43) ve yanýk tedavi birimleri ve yatýþ endikasyonlarý puaný (38.6±18.96) düþüktü. Acil týp uzmanlarýnýn týbbi müdahale puaný pediatrist ve pratisyenlerden istatistiksel olarak anlamlý derecede yüksek olmakla birlikte bu gurupta da düþüktü. Yanýk eðitimini yeterli bulanlarýn oraný: %15.3, düzenlenecek eðitime katýlmak isteyenlerin oraný ise %96.9 idi.
TARTIÞMA: Acil serviste çalýþan doktorlarýn çocuk yanýklarý bilgi düzeyi düþüktür. Acil serviste çalýþan doktorlara uygulamalý eriþkin ve çocuk yanýk eðitimi verilmelidir.