Burn Injury Referral Criteria

For minor burn injuries:

• Flush the burn area with cool water.
• Don't apply ice. It can be too harsh for burned skin and cause tissue damage.
• Folk remedies such as applying butter do not help the healing process and may increase the risk of infection if the burn is severe.
• Call our Burn Clinic to make an appointment 615-936-BURN (2876).

When to seek medical treatment at the Vanderbilt Burn Center:

• Partial thickness burn is greater than 10 percent of total body surface area
• Burns that involve face, hands, feet, genitalia, perineum or major joints
• Full thickness burn (of any size on any age patient)
• Electrical burns (including lightning)
• Chemical burns
• Smoke inhalation
• Burn injuries with patients who have pre-existing medical disorders that could complicate management
• Any patient with burns and traumatic injuries
• Pediatric burn patients in hospitals without qualified personnel or equipment for care of children
• Burn injury in patients who will require social, emotional or long-term rehabilitation interventions.