New board game introduced to support training in emergency burn care for frontline professionals

Coinciding with National Burn Awareness Day on 19th October 2016, a board game to support training in emergency burn care for frontline professionals has been developed by Focus Games Ltd, in partnership with the British Burn Association and Birmingham City University.

Following a burn injury, patients receive immediate care from various emergency and healthcare professionals. This may include Fire & Rescue Service, HEMS, Paramedics, Emergency Department clinicians and First Aiders.

Many of these professionals do not specialise in burn care, making accurate assessment and immediate management difficult. The National Burn Care Review (2001) highlighted the need for formal education and training in burn injury first aid, assessment and treatment.

The Burns Game has been developed to meet this need and help healthcare professionals improve their knowledge of burn management, which is essential to ensure the best chance of recovery for patients.

The Burns Game brings key information to life in an engaging and interactive format. It delivers awareness, knowledge and practical skills to frontline staff through face-to-face, reflective discussions, stimulated by structured questions & scenarios. These conversations allow participants to explore and discuss new ways of working and to share their knowledge and experience.

"As a Burns and Plastic Surgeon, I am all too familiar with the misery that burn injuries cause families throughout the country every year. Birmingham City University has used its expertise in medical education to develop this game together with the British Burn Association and Focus Games Ltd in order to improve the initial management of burn injury, which can greatly improve the final cosmetic and functional result for the individual patient." Professor SLA Jeffery, Consultant Burns and Plastic Surgeon, The Birmingham Burns Centre.

The Burns Game is a flexible resource that can be played as part of a structured learning programme, or informally in the workplace. To extend opportunities for learning, a specialist facilitator is not needed to manage a game, and everything you need is in the box!

"The Burns Game is an exciting and innovative way of broadening the knowledge base of anyone working with burn-injured patients. Everyone, from fire service personnel and first aiders through to specialist hospital staff will find it challenging. The BBA is proud to have helped develop the game and hopes players everywhere find it both educational and entertaining." Peter Drew, Chairman of British Burn Association.