Patients have their burns washed daily. If their burn covers a large part of the body, baths will be done twice a day. Keeping the burn wound clean will help fight infection and help their wound heal.

Debridement or removal of eschar or dead skin is done during daily baths. Eschar must be removed before wound healing or a graft surgery.

There are several types of bathtubs used on a burn unit. Each one looks a bit different from the other but they all serve the same purpose of a bath.

Baths on a burn unit might be referred to as bed bath, tub or tubbing.

A medium-sized tub that raises up and down. It’s usually the largest tub. Patients can extend their arms out to the side and exercise and stretch while in the warm water. This tub gives extra room for removing all the dressings (bandages) that are on a large burn. A sit down shower. Small children are bathed in a regular tub. This tub is also used when the patients are getting ready to be discharged (to go home). It is a good idea to use this tub because it will be like the bathtub that most people have in their own home. This tub is just right for babies!

A lift is used when a person is not able to walk from a bed to a tub. The lift can be moved from place to place. It is rolled to the bedside of the patient. The patient is put on the lift and moved to the tub. We can pump up the lift to put the person in the tub and then lower the person into the water. The patient stays on the lift for their entire bath.