1
ELECTRICAL BURN COMPLICATIONS IN NURSING EXAM WITH REAL
TEST STUDY GUIDE TIPS QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS 2026 JUST
RELEASED VERSION
A 65 year old male patient has experienced full-thickness electrical burns on the legs and arms. As
the nurse you know this patient is at risk for the following: Select all that apply:
A. Acute kidney injury
B. Dysrhythmia
C. Iceberg effect
D. Hypernatremia
E. Bone fractures
F. Fluid volume overload
Electric burns are due to an electrical current passing through the body that leads to damage
to the skin but also the muscles and bones that are underneath the skin. The patient is at risk for
AKI (acute kidney injury) because when the muscles become affected they release myoglobin and
the red blood cells release hemoglobin in the blood, which can collect in the kidneys leading to
injury. In addition, the heart's electrical system can become damaged leading to dysrhythmia.
The iceberg effect can present as well because the extent of damage is not clearly visible on
the skin (there can be severe damage underneath). In addition, if the electrical current is
strong enough it can lead to bone fractures (specifically cervical spine injuries) due to the
severe contraction of the muscles involved.
True or False: A patient who experiences an alkali chemical burn is easier to treat because the skin
will neutralize the chemical rather than with an acidic chemical burn.
True
False
,2
Alkali burns are harder to treat than acidic chemical burns because the skin will neutralize the acidic
burn.
As the nurse providing care to a patient who experienced a full-thickness electrical burn you know
to monitor the patient's urine for:
A. Hemoglobin and myoglobin
B. Free iron and white blood cells
C. Protein and red blood cells
D. Potassium and Urea
Patients who've experienced a severe electrical burn or full-thickness burns are at risk for acute
kidney injury. This is because the muscles can experience damage from the electrical current
leading them to release myoglobin. In addition, the red blood cells will release hemoglobin.
These substances will collect in the kidneys leading to acute tubular necrosis (hence leading to
AKI). Therefore, the nurse should monitor the patient's urine for these substances.
4. Select the patient below who is at MOST risk for complications following a burn:
A. A 42 year old male with partial-thickness burns on the front of the right and left arms and legs.
B. A 25 year old female with partial-thickness burns on the front of the head and neck and front and
back of the torso.
C. A 36 year old male with full-thickness burns on the front of the left arm.
D. A 10 year old with superficial burns on the right leg.
When thinking about which patient will have the MOST complications following a burn think
about: percentage of the total body surface area that is burned (use the rule of nine to calculate),
depth of the burn, age, location of the burn, and patient’s medical history. The patient in option B
has 40.5% TSBA burned (option A 27%, C: 4.5%, D: 9%). Remember that the higher the total of the
body surface area that is burned the higher the risk of complications due to an increase in
capillary permeability (swelling, hypovolemic shock etc.). In addition, the location of the burn is
a major issue with the patient in option B. The burns are on the head and neck and front and back
of the torso. Therefore, with head and neck burns always think about respiratory issues because
the airway can become compromised due to swelling or an inhalation injury. And with torso
burns that are on the front and back, the patient is at risk for circumferential burns that can
lead to further respiratory compromise. The other options have burns that are isolated.
,3
The _______ layer of the skin helps regulate our body temperature.
A. Epidermis
B. Dermis
C. Hypodermis
D. Fascia
This layer contains fatty tissue, veins, arteries, nerves and helps insulate the muscles, bones,
organs and helps REGULATE our body temperature.
You receive a patient who has experienced a burn on the right leg. You note the burn contains
small blisters and is extremely pinkish red and shiny/moist. The patient reports severe pain.
You document this burn as:
A. 1st Degree (superficial)
B. 2nd Degree (partial-thickness)
C. 3rd Degree (full-thickness)
D. 4th Degree (deep full-thickness)
These are the classic characteristics of a 2nd degree (partial-thickness) burn.
Based on the depth of the burn in figure 1 (picture is above), you would expect to find:
A. report of sensation to only pressure
B. blanching
C. anesthetization to feeling
D. extreme pain
This is a 3rd degree to 4th degree burn (full-thickness) and the nerves that detect pain are
destroyed. The patient would have no feeling or experiences an extreme decrease sensation to
pain.
A 58 year old female patient has superficial partial-thickness burns to the anterior head and neck,
front and back of the left arm, front of the right arm, posterior trunk, front and back of the right
leg, and back of the left leg. Using the Rule of Nines, calculate the total body surface area
percentage that is burned?
A. 63%
,4
B. 81%
C. 72%
D. 54%
The answer is A. Anterior head and neck (4.5%), front and back of the left arm (9%), front of the
right arm (4.5%), posterior trunk (18%), front and back of the right leg (18%), back of the left leg
(9%) which equals 63%.
A 30 year old female patient has deep partial thickness burns on the front and back of the right
and left leg, front of right arm, and anterior trunk. The patient weighs 63 kg. Use the Parkland
Burn Formula: What is the flow rate during the FIRST 8 hours (mL/hr) based on the total you
calculated?
A. 921 mL/hr
B. 938 mL/hr
C. 158 mL/hr
D. 789 mL/hr
921 mL/hr First calculate the total amount of fluid needed with the formula: Total Amount of LR
= 4 mL x BSA % x pt's
ELECTRICAL BURN COMPLICATIONS IN NURSING EXAM WITH REAL
TEST STUDY GUIDE TIPS QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS 2026 JUST
RELEASED VERSION
A 65 year old male patient has experienced full-thickness electrical burns on the legs and arms. As
the nurse you know this patient is at risk for the following: Select all that apply:
A. Acute kidney injury
B. Dysrhythmia
C. Iceberg effect
D. Hypernatremia
E. Bone fractures
F. Fluid volume overload
Electric burns are due to an electrical current passing through the body that leads to damage
to the skin but also the muscles and bones that are underneath the skin. The patient is at risk for
AKI (acute kidney injury) because when the muscles become affected they release myoglobin and
the red blood cells release hemoglobin in the blood, which can collect in the kidneys leading to
injury. In addition, the heart's electrical system can become damaged leading to dysrhythmia.
The iceberg effect can present as well because the extent of damage is not clearly visible on
the skin (there can be severe damage underneath). In addition, if the electrical current is
strong enough it can lead to bone fractures (specifically cervical spine injuries) due to the
severe contraction of the muscles involved.
True or False: A patient who experiences an alkali chemical burn is easier to treat because the skin
will neutralize the chemical rather than with an acidic chemical burn.
True
False
,2
Alkali burns are harder to treat than acidic chemical burns because the skin will neutralize the acidic
burn.
As the nurse providing care to a patient who experienced a full-thickness electrical burn you know
to monitor the patient's urine for:
A. Hemoglobin and myoglobin
B. Free iron and white blood cells
C. Protein and red blood cells
D. Potassium and Urea
Patients who've experienced a severe electrical burn or full-thickness burns are at risk for acute
kidney injury. This is because the muscles can experience damage from the electrical current
leading them to release myoglobin. In addition, the red blood cells will release hemoglobin.
These substances will collect in the kidneys leading to acute tubular necrosis (hence leading to
AKI). Therefore, the nurse should monitor the patient's urine for these substances.
4. Select the patient below who is at MOST risk for complications following a burn:
A. A 42 year old male with partial-thickness burns on the front of the right and left arms and legs.
B. A 25 year old female with partial-thickness burns on the front of the head and neck and front and
back of the torso.
C. A 36 year old male with full-thickness burns on the front of the left arm.
D. A 10 year old with superficial burns on the right leg.
When thinking about which patient will have the MOST complications following a burn think
about: percentage of the total body surface area that is burned (use the rule of nine to calculate),
depth of the burn, age, location of the burn, and patient’s medical history. The patient in option B
has 40.5% TSBA burned (option A 27%, C: 4.5%, D: 9%). Remember that the higher the total of the
body surface area that is burned the higher the risk of complications due to an increase in
capillary permeability (swelling, hypovolemic shock etc.). In addition, the location of the burn is
a major issue with the patient in option B. The burns are on the head and neck and front and back
of the torso. Therefore, with head and neck burns always think about respiratory issues because
the airway can become compromised due to swelling or an inhalation injury. And with torso
burns that are on the front and back, the patient is at risk for circumferential burns that can
lead to further respiratory compromise. The other options have burns that are isolated.
,3
The _______ layer of the skin helps regulate our body temperature.
A. Epidermis
B. Dermis
C. Hypodermis
D. Fascia
This layer contains fatty tissue, veins, arteries, nerves and helps insulate the muscles, bones,
organs and helps REGULATE our body temperature.
You receive a patient who has experienced a burn on the right leg. You note the burn contains
small blisters and is extremely pinkish red and shiny/moist. The patient reports severe pain.
You document this burn as:
A. 1st Degree (superficial)
B. 2nd Degree (partial-thickness)
C. 3rd Degree (full-thickness)
D. 4th Degree (deep full-thickness)
These are the classic characteristics of a 2nd degree (partial-thickness) burn.
Based on the depth of the burn in figure 1 (picture is above), you would expect to find:
A. report of sensation to only pressure
B. blanching
C. anesthetization to feeling
D. extreme pain
This is a 3rd degree to 4th degree burn (full-thickness) and the nerves that detect pain are
destroyed. The patient would have no feeling or experiences an extreme decrease sensation to
pain.
A 58 year old female patient has superficial partial-thickness burns to the anterior head and neck,
front and back of the left arm, front of the right arm, posterior trunk, front and back of the right
leg, and back of the left leg. Using the Rule of Nines, calculate the total body surface area
percentage that is burned?
A. 63%
,4
B. 81%
C. 72%
D. 54%
The answer is A. Anterior head and neck (4.5%), front and back of the left arm (9%), front of the
right arm (4.5%), posterior trunk (18%), front and back of the right leg (18%), back of the left leg
(9%) which equals 63%.
A 30 year old female patient has deep partial thickness burns on the front and back of the right
and left leg, front of right arm, and anterior trunk. The patient weighs 63 kg. Use the Parkland
Burn Formula: What is the flow rate during the FIRST 8 hours (mL/hr) based on the total you
calculated?
A. 921 mL/hr
B. 938 mL/hr
C. 158 mL/hr
D. 789 mL/hr
921 mL/hr First calculate the total amount of fluid needed with the formula: Total Amount of LR
= 4 mL x BSA % x pt's
