Comprehensive Nursing and Surgical Care Burn, Trauma, and Preoperative Management Practice Exam

Third-degree burns are full-thickness injuries that destroy the epidermis and the entire dermis, often extending into subcutaneous tissue. The burned surface is typically dry and inelastic, with a leathery texture and a color that can be white, brown, or charred. Because the burn destroys nerve endings, the affected area is usually painless, even though surrounding tissue may be very painful. Blisters and a moist, red surface are more characteristic of partial-thickness burns, and redness with swelling or severe pain with movement usually points to shallower burns or involvement of adjacent tissues. Recognizing a dry, leathery, painless appearance helps identify a full-thickness burn and signals the need for urgent surgical assessment and possible grafting.