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Operating room nurses describe critical trauma management challenges and teamwork dynamics in a qualitative reviewNurses share how trauma care shapes their daily work and personal lives

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Key Takeaway
Experienced trauma nurses face professional challenges, teamwork complexities, and psychological stress while managing critical multiple injuries in emergency settings.

This qualitative review explores the lived experiences of fifteen operating room nurses with at least three years of trauma nursing experience. Conducted within a tertiary hospital in Hunan, the study focuses on how these professionals manage critical multiple and combined trauma cases. The research aims to understand the human element behind emergency responses in high-stakes environments.

The participants highlighted professional challenges and emergency response as a central theme in their daily work. They also emphasized the dual effects of teamwork, noting both the supportive and demanding aspects of collaboration during crises. These findings provide insight into the complex interpersonal dynamics required for effective trauma care delivery.

Psychological stress and coping mechanisms emerged as another significant area of discussion among the nurses. Additionally, the group identified specific career development needs that could enhance their professional growth and resilience. Readers should assess the transferability of these insights to their own clinical settings before applying them broadly.

Working in a trauma unit is never easy. Fifteen nurses with at least three years of experience shared their stories about handling critical injuries and multiple trauma cases. They spoke openly about the heavy weight of their daily responsibilities and the emotional toll it takes on them. Their words reveal the real human side of emergency care, moving beyond statistics to show the lived reality of the staff who save lives every day.

The nurses highlighted specific themes that define their work environment. They identified professional challenges and the need for quick emergency responses as central to their jobs. Teamwork played a dual role, acting as both a vital support system and a source of intense pressure. They also discussed the psychological stress they endure and the strategies they use to cope with such high-stakes situations. Career development needs were another major topic, showing that these workers are constantly thinking about their growth and future.

This review offers a window into the minds of these dedicated professionals. It is important to remember that these insights come from one specific hospital setting in Hunan. Readers should carefully consider whether these experiences match their own environments. The study does not claim to represent every trauma unit everywhere, but it provides a valuable look at the people behind the scenes.

What this means for you:
Experienced nurses describe the stress, teamwork, and challenges of managing critical trauma cases in their daily work.

Study Details

Study typeSystematic review
EvidenceLevel 1
PublishedJun 2026
View Original Abstract ↓
Critical multiple and combined trauma is severe, complex and rapidly progressive, posing great challenges in trauma care. Patient outcomes rely on prompt, efficient operating room teamwork. As key team members, nurses provide precise instrument support and emergency management while under heavy physical and psychological stress. Existing studies focus on clinical protocols, with little qualitative research on their real experiences, practical difficulties and needs. This study explores their lived experiences to optimize trauma care, relieve occupational stress, and improve multidisciplinary teamwork. This descriptive phenomenological study recruited 15 operating room nurses with ≥3 years of trauma nursing experience from a tertiary hospital in Hunan using purposive sampling with maximum variation. Semi-structured interviews were analyzed using Colaizzi’s seven-step method. Trustworthiness was ensured through investigator triangulation, member checking with five participants, maintenance of a detailed audit trail, reflexive journaling, and external expert review. Four key themes emerged: professional challenges and emergency response, dual effects of teamwork, psychological stress and coping, and career development needs. Nurses managing critical multiple and combined traumas bear heavy technical and psychological burdens, seeking better critical care support and emergency decision-making skills. Despite efficient interdisciplinary collaboration being recognized as essential, communication conflicts, delayed staff support, and the emotional labor of absorbing others’ negative emotions were identified as persistent dilemmas. Nurses experienced anxiety and compassion fatigue, relieved by self-regulation and peer support, yet explicitly expressed unmet needs for professional psychological counseling, scenario-based simulation training, standardized procedures, and optimized staffing and emergency supplies. Enhancing trauma nursing for critical multiple and combined injuries requires targeted training, structured psychological support, optimized multidisciplinary collaboration, and systematic career development attention. These strategies, derived from nurses’ lived experiences, aim to improve both patient outcomes and professional wellbeing. Readers should assess transferability to their own settings.
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