Return to Main Menu

Peds burn team provides highly specialized care by Cindy Abole Public Relations 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.”   MUSC Pediatric Burn Team is pictured with other staff members (all wearing Shrek ears). They are Edward Tagge, M.D., director of pediatric surgery; C.D. Smith, M.D., Jill Evans, burn nurse and program coordinator; Alethia Elliott, burn care technician; Katherine Chessman, Pharm.D.; Suzanne Livingood, physician’s assistant; Kathy Davis, burn nurse; Amy Ferguson, physical therapy; Josie Craig, occupational therapy; Betsy McMillan, child life; Kristin Wedding, child life; Christine Campbell, child life; and Paulette Winguard, social worker. 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 Friday, Feb. 17, 2006 Catalyst Online is published weekly, updated as needed and improved from time to time by the MUSC Office of Public Relations for the faculty, employees and students of the Medical University of South Carolina. Catalyst Online editor, Kim Draughn, can be reached at 792-4107 or by email, catalyst@musc.edu. Editorial copy can be submitted to Catalyst Online and to The Catalyst in print by fax, 792-6723, or by email to catalyst@musc.edu. To place an ad in The Catalyst hardcopy, call Island Papers at 849-1778, ext. 201.