Emergency service health care workers' knowledge levels on burn patient management

Introduction and Objective: Burn traumas carry high morbidity and mortality rates and require urgent intervention. The management of burn trauma patients within the first 24 hours significantly impacts prognosis. This study was conducted to assess the knowledge level of emergency room healthcare professionals regarding the management of burn trauma patients. Materials and Methods: This descriptive study included 117 healthcare workers who volunteered at the emergency department of Tokat Gaziosmanpaşa University Hospital between March 31, 2024, and August 31, 2024. Data were collected using a sociodemographic data form. Data were analyzed using IBM SPSS 22 Statistics software (IBM SPSS, Turkey). Data were analyzed using descriptive statistical methods (minimum, maximum, mean, standard deviation, median, and frequency). Student's t-test was used to evaluate independent samples. P<0.05 was considered significant. Findings: A total of 117 healthcare workers, 57 male (48.7%) and 60 female (55.6%), were included in the study; 55 (47.0%) doctors, 43 (36.8%) nurses, and 19 (16.2%) paramedics. It was found that the average score of the participants in the study was 66.75, the lowest score was 30, and the highest score was 85. It was determined that 61 (52.1%) people felt competent in first aid for burn patients, and 56 (47.9%) did not. It was found that those with 6 months-1 year of experience (70.44±15.29) and 2-5 years (71.43±11.62) were more successful than those with 6 years or more (62.58±18.52) (p<0.05). It was found that the mean score of doctors (75.18±10.71) was higher than that of other nurses (58.49±15.91) and paramedics (61.05±11.85) (p<0.05). Conclusion: It was found that healthcare professionals working in emergency departments have a low level of knowledge about burn cases. It is recommended that healthcare professionals working in specialized areas like emergency departments keep their knowledge of burn patient management current, participate in burn-related activities to improve their skills, and regularly attend burn patient management training in their respective institutions. Keywords: Burn, Emergency Department, Knowledge Level, Treatment Approach