The Impact of Perceived Support on Burn Therapists’ Professional Quality of Life

Healthcare professionals who care for burn survivors are frequently exposed to patient pain, trauma, and distress, placing them at high risk for burnout, compassion fatigue, and secondary traumatic stress. These occupational stressors threaten both the health and career longevity of providers and the quality of patient care. Perceived support-an individual's belief that organizational and social supports are present and reliable-may mitigate these risks and promote professional well-being. This secondary analysis examined the relationship between perceived support and professional quality of life outcomes in burn therapists. Data (n = 140) were drawn from a 2023 survey utilizing the Professional Quality of Life Scale; additional items assessed perceptions of workplace and peer support. Findings from Spearman rank-sum analyses demonstrated significant positive associations between compassion satisfaction and perceived support. Specifically, feeling connected to others and having trusted colleagues to discuss struggles were strongly protective, while feeling "bogged down by the system" was linked to higher stress and lower satisfaction. Both feelings of connection and support correlated with lower levels of workplace burnout. Results highlight the critical role of interpersonal and organizational supports in sustaining resilience and compassion among burn therapists. Interventions that foster team connectedness, reduce systemic barriers, and enhance perceptions of organizational concern may reduce occupational stress, strengthen professional fulfillment, and decrease turnover. Promoting perceived support is an actionable strategy to protect the well-being of burn rehabilitation providers and, ultimately, improve patient outcomes.