Electrical injury
History/questionnaire:
Voltage (Volts)?
Current (Amperes)?
Resistance (Ohms)?
Dry skin?
Wet skin?
(Note: thick dry skin has a high resistance 40-100K Ohms but this would fall to 4K Ohms if wet - high resistance tissues such as skin are more prone to burns. Nerves and blood vessels have low resistance and conduct easily allowing the current to damage internal organs and tissues)
Duration of contact with the source?
(Note: a high voltage or current for a short time can kill, a low voltage or current intensity for a long time can kill)
Path taken by the current through the body (eg as to which body part made contact with the source and from where the electricity could have left the body - typically feet but could be any body part that completes a circuit)?
Past medical history?
Current medication?
Known drug allergies?
Examination:
Burns?
Arrhythmia?
Investigations:
ECG?
Management:
Severe electrocution?
- Risk of further electrocution removed and protected myself?
- ABCDE assessed?
- Called ambulance?
- Protected C spine?
- Considered fracture
Post-electric shock?
Hight voltage injuries (> 1000 V, typically industrial sources)?
History of loss of consciousness?
Pregnant?
If yes, admitted for observation and ECG monitoring?
Low voltage injuries (including domestic sources = 230V in the UK)?
Cleaned and dressed wounds?
Referred to plastic surgeon if appropriate?
As ECG not completely normal admitted for monitoring as acute changes
predisposing to arrhythmia could be non-specific?
Resource(s):