S.

Y 2020-2021

A retrospective study on clinical profile of

patients with firecracker-related injury
presenting to the emergency department of a
tertiary care center in South India
JOURNAL

MED WARD
ROTATIONAL DUTY REQUIREMENT

December 7- December 9, 2020

Submitted to: - Ma’am Letty Midang

Submitted by: Arora, Sachi Sujit E.
BSN IVB-2B

Submitted on: December 8, 2020

 Title: A retrospective study on clinical profile of patients with firecracker-related injury

presenting to the emergency department of a tertiary care center in South India.

Authors: Akash Sethy, Shubhashis Saha, Darpanarayan Hazra, Kundavaram Paul Prabhakar

Abhilash

Source: Journal of Current Medical Issue – Department of Emergency Medicine

Year of Publication: 2020

II. Summary:

This journal talks about how firecracker injuries are very common in India, and in a lot of

other countries globally. Firecrackers are commonly used during celebrations to express the

festive mood. Firecracker injuries are mostly caused by either mishandling of fireworks or a

device-failure during use. From previous studies, it has been noted that an alarmingly high

number of young adolescents are involved in such incidents, and the upper limbs and face are

the most common regions of the body to be involved. An injury o the hand and its underlying

structures carry the potential for serious handicap and can have an adverse effect on the normal

daily activities depending on the type and region of injury. To study conducted was a sub-

analysis of a large retrospective study on major trauma patients. All patients with trauma related

to firecracker injury over the study period from January 2017 to December 2018 were included

in this study. This study demonstrates that there is an urgent need where government and

nongovernment agencies have to take strict action in the form of legislations, amendments,

prohibitive orders, educational programs, etc., in the festival seasons to prevent firecracker-

related injuries. This incidence can be decreased to an extent by ensuring better crowd control,

increasing security and restricting the sale of firecracker during the festive season.

II. Nursing Implications:

To Nursing Practice-
This journal contains information about how firecracker-related injuries remain a

dilemma in many developing countries such as India and the Philippines, and

others globally, and is considered to be helpful due to the fact that it adds to the

knowledge nurses already have regarding injuries related to it: such as upper

limb, skin, and eye injuries. As well as who are more susceptible to getting these

injuries, and which parts get physically affected which that would need the most

medical attention. Although it has been reported that the number of cases in the

Philippines has decreased, it is still important to be aware, and know the

appropriate interventions to provide to patients with such injuries. Nurses are a

big part of the healthcare team, and could have an impact not just on the care of

these patients, but also in planning programs and preventions regarding this.

Since the incidence of firecracker-related injuries fluctuate yearly, this journal

could be of use to nurses working at the med ward, ER, and also the OR. As a

nurse, it is important to both know and be familiarized with firecracker-related

injuries: its treatments, modalities, interventions, and health teaching regarding

injuries like these and how to prevent getting them, because these injuries could

really cause great damage to a person’s body, because this could lead to better

performance and service towards patients.

To Nursing Education-
It is my responsibility as a student nurse to use the evidence based interventions

to provide the clients with proper and quality nursing care. This journal aims to

impart knowledge not just on students who are taking up nursing as a course, but

to the general public as well, as firecracker-injuries are very common in the

Philippines, especially during New Year’s eve, when everyone wants to go out

and light the sky in order to welcome a new year., Sadly, a lot of people suffer

from lighting up firecrackers, especially adolescents. It is true that we, as

Filipinos, are accustomed to this, and see it almost like a tradition, but we need to
take this situation into deeper consideration. This journal helps the nursing

education by raising awareness of the current issues regarding firecracker-

injuries and how us, future health workers, could help in preventing these

injuries, but also imparting knowledge to people in order for them to know right

from wrong. This journal helps me as a student nurse in a way that I am

knowledgeable regarding the current situation of firecracker-related injuries in

developing countries which includes the Philippines. This will enhance my skills

in doing health teachings regarding it and will encourage me to travel in remote

areas just to help with interventions, provide health teachings, and explain more

about the risks of playing or lighting up firecrackers during celebrations, and find

safer alternatives instead. It is important for nursing students to be familiar with

this as early as possible, so when the time comes, and they have their rotation at

the med, ER, or OR wards, they will be prepared, and at least have an idea

regarding it. As a nursing student, this journal will enhance my skills in rendering

health teachings to people who are susceptible to the said injuries, and also, in

being familiar to what programs to propose in order for the cases to decrease

more and more.

To Nursing Research-
This journal is just the first step in formulating much more informed, well-detailed,

and complete researches regarding this topic. Since this journal already contains

some details and information regarding firecracker-related injuries, such as

interventions planned out for decreasing the cases and specific injuries such as

contusions, abrasions, and lacerations that could result from them, it could be a

stepping stone for future nurse researchers in case they would want to expand

and elaborate more about this topic or other med/ER/OR topics concerning this.

This journal could be a guide for future researchers as they try to conduct more

studies, and hopefully improve journals like this immensely.

III. Personal Insights-

I agree with what they authors have mentioned in the discussion, that government and

nongovernment agencies have to take strict action in the form of legislations, amendments,

prohibitive orders, educational programs, etc., in the festive seasons to prevent firecracker-

related injuries. Since it already is December, just a few more weeks, and we get to welcome a

new year. Of course, for us Filipinos, we are used to lighting up firecrackers to welcome the

New Year in a warm and extravagant way. I won’t deny it, it is fun—I’ve always enjoyed

watching firecrackers no matter what even it was. However, as a nursing student, and hopefully,

a future healthcare worker, it is important to use my voice and resources in order to prevent

firecracker-inflected injuries. Especially when I turn on the television to watch the news, the first

thing I see are people of all age being rushed to the hospital, all hurt and bleeding due to

lighting up firecrackers. I do agree that stricter policies should be made regarding this issue,

because with those policies, people would be more disciplined and sensitive when it comes to

handling firecrackers. I am not saying that it should be banned, but stricter rules should be

implemented regarding a few things such as who can buy them, how many bundles or boxes of

firecrackers per household can be accommodated. As a student nurse, it is important for me to

voice out my concerns, and help as much as I could, maybe not yet in the hospital setting, but

by using my resources and knowledge I have to spread awareness, and to impart knowledge to

those who I think really need them. My wish is for everyone to stay safe and sound during this

New Year, and in order for that to happen, we should be disciplined, and try safer alternatives

such as clanging our pans or just using trumpets to welcome the New Year.