Nurses Face High Physical, Cognitive Load in Trauma Surgery - Summary - MDSpire

Nurses Face High Physical, Cognitive Load in Trauma Surgery

Qualitative interviews identified four themes involving emergency challenges and response, teamwork, psychological stress and coping, and professional growth needs in trauma surgery.

  • By

  • Andrea Surnit

  • June 8, 2026

  • 4 min

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Objective:

To examine the lived experiences of operating room nurses managing critical multiple and combined trauma.

Key Findings:
  • Nurses reported substantial technical, collaborative, and psychological demands in trauma surgery.
  • Four major themes emerged: professional challenges and emergency response, value and dilemmas of team collaboration, psychological stress and coping strategies, and professional growth and support needs.
  • Emergency response capability was crucial, with experienced nurses preparing instruments in advance.
  • Team collaboration was essential, but communication conflicts and delayed staffing support were reported.
  • Nurses experienced psychological stress linked to exposure to severe injuries.
Interpretation:

Limitations:
  • Sample size of 15 nurses from a single institution may limit generalizability.
  • Qualitative nature of the study reflects participant experiences rather than quantitative measures.
  • Experiences were not analyzed by trauma type or urgency level.
Conclusion:

Original Source(s)

Nurses Face High Physical, Cognitive Load in Trauma Surgery

  • by Andrea Surnit

  • June 8, 2026

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