Burn prevention.

The APN can help prevent bums from occurring by regularly participating in health promotion programs that stress fire and bum prevention education. APNs are in a uniquely advantageous position to recognize unsafe practices in the home and to help families develop safe living habits while remaining culturally sensitive to the needs of the patient. Infants and children sustain the most common bum injuries in the home and should never be left at home alone. Children should be taught at an early age about the hazards of fire. Parents must carefully check the home,bath, and play areas for fire and bum hazards, such as live extension wires, matches, and electrical appliances, and remove them. The APN must also recognize that promoting safety legislation can also make the working and living environment safer.

Duke Scholars

Author Ernest Grant School of Nursing