Burn rehabilitation: The ongoing struggle

Burn rehabilitation is a multidisciplinary challenge that commences at the time of the injury and continues for many months and even years after discharge. However, a lack of consistently coordinated rehabilitation and follow-up of burn patients often leads to critical variations in outcomes. Inadequate personnel and inexperienced burn therapists alter the continuity of care. In addition, geographical location of the rehabilitation facilities creates challenges for patients that affects the timing of transfer. As a result, burn clinicians need to be collaborative in their approach to burn rehabilitation. The purpose of this study was to explore the ‘lived experience’ of burn survivors’ rehabilitation and potentially inform future research efforts to contribute to influencing policy and outcomes. A descriptive phenomenological methodology using Colaizzi’s method of data analysis was utilised. Participants (n=21) were selected through purposeful sampling, and data were collected through in-depth, individual, semi-structured interviews conducted in 2011. The findings of this study demonstrated a lack of continuity of specialised burn care evident across the rehabilitation sites and during key transition points in participants’ rehabilitation. The development of an accredited burn rehabilitation training program would allow health professionals with the necessary knowledge and training to be confident and competent in managing burn patients in the rehabilitation and community settings.