Care Needs of Burn Patients: A Meta-Synthesis Guided by Orem's Self-Care Deficit Nursing Theory

A burn patient requiring admission to a Burn Unit undergoes a challenging treatment process whose physical, emotional and social consequences can result in self-care deficits. In this regard, Orem's Self-Care Deficit Nursing Theory (SCDNT) is utilized to frame and systematize nursing interventions according to the identification of the care needs of the hospitalized burn patient.

This study aimed to identify and synthesize the care needs of burn patients during hospitalization, using Orem's Self-Care Deficit Nursing Theory as a theoretical framework.

A meta-synthesis was conducted in accordance with the guidelines of the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) and PRISMA. The search was carried out across four databases, resulting in the inclusion of 10 primary studies with adult participants. The analysis of the articles led to the identification of four categories through thematic synthesis, which were mapped onto Orem's self-care deficit nursing theory.

Four main categories of care needs were identified: I. Physical and Self-Care Needs (pain, skin integrity, functional recovery); II. Emotional Distress and Adaptation to Illness (fear, anxiety); III. Therapeutic Relationship and Humanized Care (empathic communication, privacy); and IV. Social Support and Continuity of Care (family involvement, post-discharge support). This categorization allowed for an articulation with Orem's theory through the transition between compensatory nursing systems (acute phase) and supportive-educative systems (hospitalization phase and immediately prior to clinical discharge).

The physical and psychological trauma associated with a burn injury requires a multifaceted intervention by the nursing team. These professionals, within a logic of transition between compensatory and supportive-educative systems, must develop interventions not only at the level of burn pathophysiology (pain, hemodynamic instability, and functional rehabilitation) but also regarding the integration of significant others into the patient's care dynamics, as well as establishing a therapeutic relationship capable of yielding gains after clinical discharge.