Rehabilitation considerations in the care of the acute burn patient.

To be burned is to suffer one of the most dehumanizing events known. Adult burn patients have gone from independent, healthy individuals to totally dependent patients who may survive but be severely disfigured. The ultimate rehabilitation goal is to provide extensively burned patients with the training necessary for them to resume as much of their preburn lifestyle as possible. Prevention and control of scarring processes are the initial vital phases of the process. Reconditioning continues that process by preparing the patients to function within the limits of their present physical ability. All of the activities of daily living that the patient is able to perform with a minimum amount of assistance or independently with the use of assistive devices also move the patient toward independent living. The rehabilitation process is a critical element in the daily care of the burn-injured patient, and all team members providing that care should be encouraged to view the patient as a whole, giving early consideration to the final rehabilitation outcome.