Major burns. What to do at the scene and en route to the hospital.

Patients with major burns should be transported by whatever conveyance seems appropriate to a facility capable of caring for such injuries. At the scene of the accident and en route to the hospital, adherence to standard principles of trauma care allows optimal resuscitation. Once rescuers have assessed the depth and extent of burns and conferred with hospital personnel, they need to do relatively little in the way of initial wound treatment except to prevent further injury and decrease pain. Careful, concise documentation is necessary to assure a continuum of good patient care.