Atlanta Legal Nurse Consultant At 7th Annual Burn Symposium

Atlanta, Georgia -- Atlanta legal nurse consultant Liz Buddenhagen attended the annual Burn Symposium by the J.M. Still Burn Center at Chateau Elan in Georgia on March 4, 2013.
 
About the Symposium:

This year’s highlight featured Julie Rizzo, MD, of Eisenhower Army Medical Center in Augusta, Georgia, who presented “Bad Day to be On Call? The Cocoanut Grove Nightclub Fire.” This Boston fire of 1942 was the “single most influential fire to change how fires were handled” in the United States, said Rizzo.

At that time, Boston owned 3 fire trucks for the entire city. Of those not dead from being trapped in the building, 350 were taken to Boston City Hospital and 114 were taken to Massachusetts General Hospital, which was private then.

The catastrophic numbers of patients represented the greatest influx of trauma burn patients in the history of the world. One patient arrived every 11 seconds.

Treatment for burn patients was rudimentary and ineffective in 1942. Newer treatments necessary for inhalation injury begun as a result of this fire include:

·        Administration of humidified oxygen.
·        Coughing in addition to deep breathing.
·        Suctioning.
·        Early tracheotomy.

Burn treatment has improved steadily over the years since this fire and is much more comprehensive than the initial changes listed here.

Other changes that occurred as a result of this fire:

·        Revolving doors cannot be the primary door to a building.
·        All doors must open outward.
·        Non-flammable decorations and furnishings mandated for public buildings.
·        Emergency lighting systems developed.
·        Sprinkler systems developed.
·        Metal fire doors mandated.
·        Lighted Exit signs.
·        Establishment of furniture pathways to exits.
·        Windows that opened automatically when exposed to heat.
·        Occupant capacity placards in public buildings.

Other speakers rounding out the program:
·        Megan Bronson of Grand Rapids, Michigan, on “Helping Burn Survivors and Their Families to Recover and Reclaim Life After Burn Injury.”
·        Fred Mullins, MD and Director of the J.M. Still Burn Center, on “Back to Basics: Stabilization of the Burn Patient.”
·        Arnold Luterman, MD of the University of South Alabama Burn Center on “The Workers’ Compensation Burn Case: Rules of the Road.”
·        William Lineaweaver, MD of Mississippi on “Flaps in Acute and Secondary Burn Reconstruction.”
·        Jocelyn Hills Beasley, NP, discussed “Disaster at 12,000 Feet.” Beasley participated in a catastrophic burn disaster drill in Bolivia and shared her experiences.
·        Shirley Badke related her own experience being burned 85% by an airplane fire that crashed into her office eighteen years ago with “A Burn Survivor’s Perspective.”

The Burn Symposium was approved by the American Association of Critical Care Nurses for educational nursing contact hours, said the Atlanta nurse consultant.
 
About the Atlanta Legal Nurse Consultant:

Liz Buddenhagen is a huge fan of the Augusta, Georgia burn center and has worked on burn related lawsuits in her practice as a nurse consultant. For more information view www.Legal-Nurse-Consultant-LNC.com, email Liz@BuddenhagenLNC.com or call 770-725-2997. 

Contact Information

Liz Buddenhagen

Principal

Buddenhagen and Associates

(1) 770 725 2997

Liz@BuddenhagenLNC.com