Emotional Burden and Clinical Judgement in Severe Burn Care: A Qualitative Short Report

Caring for patients with severe burns in emergency and critical care settings presents substantial emotional and clinical challenges for nurses. The aim of this study was to describe nurses' experiences of balancing emotional burden and clinical judgement in severe burn care. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with five nurses working in emergency and critical care settings in Japan. Data were analysed using qualitative content analysis. Nurses described emotional distress associated with severe injuries, uncertainty regarding the adequacy of care, and difficulties maintaining professional responsibility while regulating emotional responses. Participants also described gradual adaptation through clinical experience and support from colleagues. These findings suggest that emotional burden and clinical judgement are closely interconnected in severe burn care. Organisational support and opportunities for reflective debriefing may help support nurses working in high-acuity critical care environments.