A Qualitative Descriptive Exploration of the Experiences of Burn Therapists.

This article focuses on the experiences of occupational and physical therapists who provide acute rehabilitative care to burn survivors, exploring the physical, mental, and emotional challenges they face and how these impact their professional quality of life. Through qualitative interviews with ten U.S.-based burn therapists, six key themes emerged: the critical role of therapeutic relationships in patient outcomes and therapist retention; the autonomy and flexibility inherent in burn therapy; the evolution of compassion over a therapist's career; the unique camaraderie within multidisciplinary burn teams; challenges posed by healthcare system demands; and the resilience required to manage the profession's physical and emotional burdens. The study highlights the moral dilemmas therapists encounter when balancing pain management with functional recovery and underscores the need for organizational support to enhance therapist well-being and retention. These findings suggest that addressing the professional quality of life of burn therapists is essential for sustaining effective burn care and improving patient safety and satisfaction.