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Arkansas Children's Hospital burn unit closed to adults

The state's only top level burn unit at Arkansas Children's Hospital is only treating pediatric patients temporarily due to a staffing shortage.

The state’s only top level burn unit at Arkansas Children’s Hospital is only treating pediatric patients temporarily due to a staffing shortage. A lack of anesthesiologist who treat adult patients means burn victims over the age of 21 are being transferred to facilities out of state.

The situation has firefighters and their advocates calling for a quick solution.

“I'm a walking miracle,” said Marvin Benton, a retired firefighter injured in the line of duty 25 years ago. “Everything that I went through without the burn unit that night I'm pretty sure I wouldn't have survived.”

Benton sustained third-degree burns over 37% of his body after he and his partner became trapped under a burning collapsed wall during a search-and-rescue attempt. He credits the care he received as an adult at the burn center at Arkansas Children’s with helping him recover. He became alarmed when he heard about the move to focus on pediatric care.

“This temporary change occurred because along with our partners at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, we have been unable to supply adult anesthesia staffing,” said Jeff House, vice president of Strategic Marketing for Arkansas Children’s. “Together, we are working towards a solution by recruiting more anesthesiologists and hope to have this situation resolved soon.”

A University of Arkansas of Medical Sciences spokesperson says an adult burn victim is assured of getting top quality care in the trauma center there – the only one of its kind in Arkansas. From there doctors will then evaluate injuries and transfer patients to burn units in Memphis or Springfield, Mo.

Benton hopes the facilities can quickly resolve the matter.

“We have to have a burn unit here,” he said. “What happened to me could happen today. It could happen within the next few minutes. It could happen at any time.”

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