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Charleston, SC 29425
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800-424-MUSC
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Peds burn team provides highly specialized care
by Cindy Abole
MUSC Public Relations
February 17, 2006
A severe burn can occur in an instant. An unattended candle, too-hot
water in a child’s bath, pots of boiling liquids left on a kitchen
stove all can result in tragedy.
Despite the type and degree of burn, Lowcountry children and others
around the state can be reassured that they’ll receive the best care
and services at MUSC Children’s Hospital. A tertiary care pediatric
facility, MUSC Children’s Hospital is home to South Carolina’s only
pediatric burn referral center. The pediatric burn team provides
age-specific approach to burn care.
“It’s important that the public know about the calibre of MUSC
Children’s Hospital specialty services throughout the state,
particularly the Pediatric Burn Center,” said John Sanders, MUSC
Children’s Hospital administrator. “It’s unique, comprehensive scope is
an important piece in how we provide complete, family-centered
pediatric patient care.”
In its 20-plus years of service, the Children’s Hospital treated an
estimated 500 hospitalized patients with burns. The Rutledge
Tower Pediatric Burn Clinic manages an average of 400-plus outpatient
visits per year.
“We’re part of an experienced, multidisciplinary team that provides an
unbelievable aspect to burn care that one would not get in any
children’s hospital,” said Edward Tagge, M.D., director of pediatric
surgery and member of MUSC’s Pediatric Burn Team. “We’re organized to
provide specialty services outside of a unit where the expertise comes
directly to the patient.”
Typically, pediatric burn patients receive a packaged approach of
services connected to their care. MUSC’s Pediatric Burn Team relies on
a pediatric team approach featuring specialists from multiple health
care disciplines. The team consists of physicians, burn nurse
specialist, burn care technician, child life therapist, pharmacist,
nutritionist, occupational and physical therapists and a social worker.
With much of the Children’s Hospital’s nursing staff trained in
standard 24-hour burn care, the establishment of care services outside
a traditional burn-specific unit is growing, according to Tagge.
Foremost, it lowers infection rates among hospitalized patients and
complements the team’s approach to care. It also aids in the recovery
of young patients by helping them cope and recover from physical and
emotional aspects caused by burn injuries.
In 1986, South Carolina firefighters and MUSC Children’s Hospital
founded the Burned Children’s Fund, formerly the Aluminum Cans for
Burned Children Program. For more than 15 years, this program has
effectively collected more than 170 million aluminum cans and raised
more than $1.7 million to support pediatric burn patients and their
families in multiple ways. Some of the monies are used to purchase
non-medical items not normally covered by insurance including medicines
and cremes, protective garments and clothing and therapeutic toys. The
fund is also used to provide transportation, food and shelter for
family members during a patient’s treatment or hospitalization.
In 1997, the fund helped support the purchase of equipment for a
hydrotherapy burn treatment room to provide a sterile area to perform
dressing changes and support other patient needs. Just recently, the
fund teamed with College of Health Professions’ Class of 2007 Masters
in Health Administration students to coordinate new fund-raising
efforts with a March 18 raffle and fund-raiser.
“The one-on-one care for young burn patients is phenomenal,” said
Jackie Yates, deputy with the South Carolina Fire Marshall’s Office and
chairman of the Burned Children’s Fund Board of Directors. “Words can’t
describe the commitment and depth of their efforts. This sets them
apart from traditional caregivers.”
The fund also assists former burn patients participating in Camp Can
Do, a four-day camp established in 1997 for burned children. Sponsored
by the fund and the Pediatric Burn Team, the camp focuses on fun and is
open to children, ages 6 to 17, who have suffered from a severe burn
injury. The camp, which celebrates its 10th year July 3 to 6, is
staffed each year by volunteer firefighters, nurses, physicians,
therapists and volunteers supporting its efforts.
“These are all testimonies to the commitment and hard work offered by
many supporters,” Tagge said. “Altogether, we provide burn expertise
that’s unmatched in the Southeast. It’s a great, long-standing
partnership.”
In addition to providing excellent patient care, the Pediatric
Burn Team has been actively organizing and sponsoring community
outreach activities, prevention and safety programs and contribute to
burn care research and clinical work to test burn products and wound
remedies in the management of major types of burns.
For information on the Burned Children’s Fund, visit its Web site at http://www.musckids.com/about/dept_prog/burn_fund.htm.
Fund-raiser to benefit burn unit
College of Health Professions, Masters in Health Administration (MHA)
Class of 2007 will host a fund-raiser benefitting the Burn Children’s
Fund through March 18.
MHA students will sell $1 tickets from noon to 1 p.m. Mondays and
Wednesdays on the first floor atrium, College of Health Professions
building A. They will also sell tickets mid-day on Tuesdays and
Thursdays in the lobby of the Children’s Hospital and main hospital
cafeteria.
For information e-mail bacik@musc.edu or davesr@musc.edu
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