criteria for hospital admission

Last reviewed 01/2018

All major burns require hospital admission. These include any of:

• full thickness (FT) greater than 1% of body surface area
• partial thickness (PT):
• greater than 15% in an adult
• greater than 10% in a child
• burns to special areas:
• hands
• feet
• face
• eyes
• burns that are difficult to manage at home - e.g. perineum
• any suspicion of inhalation injury
• significant :
• electrical injury
• chemical burns
• burns complicated by major trauma
• any burn likely to require escharotomy e.g. circumferential on limbs

Other burns are regarded as minor and should be managed on an outpatient basis.

When in doubt, discuss with the local burns unit.