Burnout among healthcare professionals in high-emotion work environments: A qualitative study from the burn unit in Albania.

Abstract

This study explores the experiences of burnout among physicians and nurses working in the Burn Unit at the University Hospital Center "Mother Teresa" in Tirana. Using a qualitative case study methodology, ten semi-structured interviews were conducted with professionals who have over five years of experience in this service. Thematic analysis, following a template analysis approach, identified four main themes: ongoing emotional and physical workload, lack of institutional support, emotional connection with patients, and individual coping strategies. The findings show that burnout in this context is influenced not only by the clinical nature of the work but also by the absence of structural and managerial support. Although individual strategies may be helpful in the short term, they prove insufficient for sustainable emotional protection, highlighting the need for systematic institutional interventions and well-being policies for healthcare personnel working in emotionally demanding, low-resource healthcare settings.