Introduction
The importance of first aid following a burn injury is paramount in reducing the severity of injury. As the majority of burn injuries occur within the home it is beneficial that all individuals have the appropriate knowledge to provide immediate treatment.
 
Method
A questionnaire was used to establish the knowledge of the general public with regards to first aid following a burn. An identical questionnaire was used to compare the results with individuals who had attended the burn service after sustaining a burn. It was repeated at different stages of treatment to demonstrate how effective the burn service is at giving first aid advice.
 
Results
General Public – There were 169 respondents in total of which 12.4 % admitted they did not know what to do following a burn injury. 10.6% were aware of the exact recommendations of cooling the burn wound for 20 minutes with cool running water. 76.9% of the general public asked, suggested that they know what to do but then gave incorrect information.
Burn Service – Out of 138 respondents, 6.5 % suggested they did not know what to do following a burn injury, 34. 7 % were aware of the recommendations and 58.6% indicated that they were aware of the procedure but were incorrect.
 
Discussion/ Conclusion
This audit has highlighted that the general public do not have the appropriate knowledge in relation to first aid that is required to improve the outcome of burn injuries. It has also raised concerns that the burn service is not as effective at delivering the message of the importance of first aid. Following a burn injury individuals are more likely to be receptive to such advice and every opportunity should be utilised. Given that burn care is expensive and can be complex burn prevention must be integral to future practice.

Burns First Aid; Are we getting the message across?