The Burned Child Assistance Corporation (Coaniquem) invited the community to save WhatsApp 24/7 on their cell phones, +56 9 3431 9987, under the name of “SOS Coniquem” to facilitate timely care, guide and ensure a better prognosis of burns or skin lesions. The chat is attended free of charge by nurses from the institution.
Inquiries have been received from all regions of the country. 58% of these are due to burns caused by hot liquids, 29% correspond to injuries from contact with hot objects and 13% from other causes, among which there are also questions about post-surgical scars and trauma.
Along with this and with the arrival of the pandemic, this WhatsApp SOS service became a priority and a support for public health, as it contributes to society by providing a very relevant service.
In this period, in which children stayed home longer, Coaniquem received a proportional increase of 18% in patients with burns caused by hot liquids. Along with the above, despite not being one of the main agents, a 50% growth was found in burns in minors, produced by the manipulation of an electrical extension cord.
“The problem was that with the beginning of the implementation of quarantines that limited the movement of people, the health system prioritized the care of Covid-19 patients both in emergencies and in primary care and the population feared contagion in the health establishments “, explained the president and founder of Coaniquem, Dr. Jorge Rojas Zegers.
“Because of this, patients who suffered a burn found it difficult to care for their injuries,” he added.
53% of the services correspond to consultations of the female sex. Of the orientations that have been delivered, 51% of the patients have subsequently been treated at COANIQUEM. 23% were immediately referred to the emergency services, 15% to subsequent control in regular medical services and 11% did not require any referral.
SOS Coaniquem
Based on the experience gathered, and taking into consideration the situation of many families who live far from healthcare centers, Coaniquem has arranged to maintain and spread the remote emergency guidance service. This is offered to the general population as a continuous (24/7) service of delivery of information, orientation, education, support and containment to people who recently suffered a burn at home.
This option can also be accessed through a WhatsApp button offered on the institutional website created for this purpose. The communication is carried out by nurses who, in their professional role, can work in different fields and at any stage of the life cycle, with healthy or sick people and in the intra and extra-hospital setting.
“Although our statistics have not reported a global increase in children and young people with burns during the Pandemic, there is concern about the increased risk in children under 5 years of age, as well as kettle overturn burns that cause extensive injuries, and a mechanism emerging as are those associated with instant soups that come in very flexible packaging, “said Rojas.
“Also attracting attention are those produced by the manipulation of extension cords by minors, a phenomenon probably associated with the use of computers, tablets and mobile phones for online classes,” he added.
The evaluation of the patient is carried out without direct eye contact, which requires a quick and effective identification of the health problem. The conduct of the nurses focuses on guiding and informing on initial care measures at home, containing, supporting and directing the person consulting to go to an emergency service or other health center if it is deemed convenient, being, in In this case, the first indication to be delivered.
The professional nursing staff uses an institutional telephone as a means of communication, having implemented a care registration system integrated into an institutional platform.
Coaniquem has provided comprehensive and free care to more than 140,000 children from all over Chile in its 42-year history.
