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Burn Unit Travel Nursing Jobs
Burn unit nurses are specialized healthcare professionals with experience in burn trauma. Nurses are part of a larger team of practitioners that help patients who’ve suffered burn injuries. Burn unit nurses practice what we know as critical care since most of their patients arrive from emergencies. If you’re interested in a nursing career with a high degree of specialization, keep reading to learn everything you need to know about burn unit nurses, their career path, salaries, and more.
What is a Burn Unit Nurse?
A burn care nurse specializes in caring for patients who suffer burn injuries and other kinds of trauma. They treat and monitor burn wounds, assess emotional trauma, and offer critical care and trauma recovery assistance. A burn care nurse helps trauma doctors evaluate burns, clean wounds, administer medication, and assist in the early rehabilitation stages.
National average salary: $68,250 per year
Job outlook: 16% increase by 2024
Where Do Burn Care Nurses Work?
It’s not surprising to find out that most burn care nurses spend most of their shifts in the Burn Care Unit (BCU) or the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of hospitals. However, they can also work in a hospital’s Emergency Room (ER) and their trauma center. Sometimes, burn care nurses also work in outpatient facilities providing support and rehabilitation services for patients recovering from burn injuries.
What Kind of Patients Are in a Burn Unit?
The burn unit is a specialized area that’s almost hosted within the ICU. Here, you’ll find patients who’ve suffered burn injuries from contact with fire, chemicals, electricity, or oil. However, you’re also likely to find trauma patients and anyone in critical conditions requiring immediate trauma assistance.
What Does a Burn Unit Nurse Do?
A burn care nurse has a multifaceted role that provides assistance where and when needed. They can help with triage, stabilization, fluid balance, and pain management. However, they can also help in the rehabilitation process by offering emotional support. Overall, burn nurses treat patients suffering from burn injuries. They clean, bandage, and monitor wounds, as well as educate patients about their ongoing treatment.
Most responsibilities include:
- Assess, dress, and monitor burn wounds
- Stabilize burned patients
- Maintain patient’s comfort and assist in pain management
- Administer medications
- Monitor the patient’s psychological state and emotional well-being
- Educate the patient and the family about burn wound care, rehab procedures, and how to seek emotional support
How Do You Become a Burn Unit Nurse?
The journey to becoming a burn unit nurse starts like many other nursing careers, with a nursing degree and passing the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX-RN). Most nurses are looking for a job in burn care to get professional experience in the trauma unit or ICU. Overall, education requirements and preferences will vary by employer. However, certifications in Advanced Burn Life Support and Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support can help position yourself as a valuable candidate.
Common certifications:
- Advanced Burn Life Support
- Basic Life Support (BLS)
- Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS)
- Critical Care Nursing (CCRN) for Adult Patients Certification
- Certified Wound Specialist (CWS)
- Wound Care Certified Certification (WCCC)
- Wound, Ostomy, and Continence Certification (WOCC)
- Trauma Nursing Core Course
- Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS)
What Skills Do You Need to Be a Burn Unit Nurse?
Burn nurses’ role is an advanced one that requires clinical and technical skills that allows them to provide comprehensive care to patients. They need to be knowledgeable in various treatments to assess the different types of injuries they treat.
Due to its nature, burn care is one of the most challenging specialties in nursing. This position calls for sharp critical thinking alongside specialized clinical skills.
Most common skills or burn unit nurses include:
- Triage experience
- Fluid balance experience
- Trauma recovery and rehabilitation experience
- Excellent communication skills
- Emotional stability and coping skills
- Critical problem-solving
- Compassionate
- Technical ability to utilize medical equipment
Starting Your Burn Care Nursing Career
A career as a burn care nurse is thrilling, challenging, but also extremely rewarding. If a nursing career in this specialty interests you, there are a set of steps that can help you position yourself as a great candidate. At Stability Healthcare, we place nurses in hospitals across the United States. You’ll earn high compensation, premium health benefits, PTO, guaranteed stipends, 401(k), paid compliance, and more. Search for your next placement and set up an interview today!
Travel Nursing Reviews
Sopheare C.
I can honestly say my first contract with stability has been going smoothly and with lots of help. My recruiter Amanda is amazing and always timely with her responses. Debbie who is my nurse experience specialist who is with me all times of the contract is truly awesome. Love how responsive she is and will answer any and all my questions. Big thanks to Jesse my compliance coordinator for making all the appointments and getting me travel ready. Can’t thank my team enough for all they do. Any question or issue I have they resolve right away. And I love that they breakdown each contract into a spread so you know exactly what your getting for the terms of the contract.
Brittany J.
I have been with Stability for 4 contracts and I would recommend them to anyone. My recruiter is very responsive and personable. I have NEVER had any issues with them!! This agency even has PTO! None of my co workers with other agencies have this benefit!! Also the rates are equal or higher than most other agencies!! Everything feels more like family than business and for that I would choose stability over any other agency!! I am so happy I chose to work with them!
Maria D.
On top of the process. On boarding easy. Very supportive staff. They are they for you via, call , text or email. And it’s very easy transition .. they encourage you to ask questions and make themselves available from the moment your hiring process starts. To even checking on you on first day assignment to the following week.
Jennifer RN
The response time from my recruiter and nurse specialist is amazing! They both have been so great to work with on my first assignment out in California!!! Chad and Samantha both are super caring and very responsive! I already extended my contract with the hospital because of the smooth process. They made the transition from Florida to California a lot loss stressful than I imagined. Would definitely recommend them both!!!
Tammy
My recruiter, and other staff I have had the pleasure of interacting with, are all so friendly and helpful. My recruiter is responsive, and even reached out while she was on vacation to check on me! I’ve worked with other agencies in the past, but Stability is next level when it comes to making your travel nursing experience as seamless as possible! Special shout out to Lindsay (best recruiter ever) and Tracy. Amazing people to work with.