Burn Rehabilitation Multidisciplinary Teamwork: How Therapists, Social Workers, and Psychologists Collaborate to Support Recovery

Vita TU
18 hours ago
4 min read

Vita Yu-Hsien TU, Occupational Therapist and Project Manager

Sunshine Social Welfare Foundation

Burn Rehabilitation Multidisciplinary Teamwork

Burn rehabilitation isn’t just about physical recovery—it’s a journey of holistic support.

After surviving the acute medical phase, rehabilitation becomes the key to restoring a burn survivor’s quality of life. Occupational and physical therapists play a vital role in helping patients regain function. But we also know that rehabilitation is emotionally and physically demanding. Burn survivors carry not just scars, but trauma.

By integrating social workers and psychologists into the care team, we can build a stronger, more resilient support network for our patients. In this article, we explore—through the lens of therapists—how to build effective cross-disciplinary collaboration and burn rehabilitation multidisciplinary teamwork.

Common Challenges in Burn Rehabilitation Multidisciplinary Teamwork

Burn survivors face multiple layers of pressure during recovery. No single profession can address them all:

1. Physical Function & Pain Management

Scar contractures limit movement and affect independent daily self-care.
Persistent pain and itch lower motivation and affect coping ability.

2. Psychological and Emotional Adjustment

Changes in appearance affect self-image and reduce social confidence.
Trauma can lead to PTSD, anxiety, or depression.

3. Rebuilding Life and Social Roles

Returning to family, work, and social roles is difficult.
Injuries can reduce work capacity, creating financial and emotional stress.
More caregiving resources and emotional support are needed.

Shared Roles, Unique Strengths: A Burn Rehabilitation Multidisciplinary Teamwork Approach

Burn rehabilitation is complex, and no single professional can address all the challenges a patient faces. That's why collaboration between therapists, social workers, and psychologists is essential. Each brings a unique perspective—whether it's restoring movement, navigating life changes, or supporting emotional recovery. The table below illustrates how these roles complement each other in supporting patients across key areas of need.

Issues	Role of Therapist	Role of Social Worker	Role of Psychologist
Physical Function & Pain	Functional training, pain management	Assess care needs, connect resources, assist with home adjustments	Teach coping strategies, manage chronic pain through CBT
Emotional Adjustment	Build confidence and a sense of accomplishment through progress in rehabilitation	Support communication, refer to community services	Conduct assessments, offer therapy for trauma and distress
Rebuilding Social Roles	Daily living and vocational training	Connect to jobs, financial aid, support family reintegration	Rebuild self-identity, cultivate hope

When Collaboration Hits Roadblocks

Even when every team member is focused on patient-centered care, multidisciplinary collaboration can still hit snags. These challenges aren't necessarily about conflict—they’re often about misaligned expectations, timing, or communication styles. Here are a few common situations and how they might feel from each team member’s perspective:

Different timelines:

For example, therapists may want to begin functional training as soon as possible to prevent contractures or mobility loss. Psychologists, however, might feel the patient is not emotionally ready—especially if they are still processing trauma or in denial. This can lead to frustration: therapists worry about losing progress, while psychologists fear pushing the patient too hard too soon.

Tip: Build-in regular case discussions early to align on when each discipline can engage and coordinate most effectively.

Different vocabularies:

Therapists often discuss recovery using clinical terms like ADLs (Activities of Daily Living), ROM (Range of Motion), or compliance. Social workers and psychologists, in contrast, focus on social support networks, coping mechanisms, and emotional resilience. These terms don’t always translate easily across disciplines and can lead to misunderstandings or underestimation of a patient's non-physical challenges.

Tip: Learn each other’s “lingo.” Even just explaining key concepts in simpler terms can help bridge the gap.

Different priorities:

Therapists are usually outcome-driven: Can the patient walk? Feed themselves? Return to work? Social workers may be more focused on housing instability, caregiving support, or financial stress. Psychologists may prioritize treating PTSD or depression before expecting behavioral engagement in rehabilitation. This divergence can feel like "talking past each other," with everyone pulling in different directions.

Tip: Reframe success as multi-dimensional. A small gain in trust or emotional stability can be as important as physical milestones.

These aren’t conflicts—they’re simply different perspectives shaped by our training and focus areas. But when we step into each other’s shoes and recognize how our roles intersect and influence one another, real collaboration becomes possible.

For example, when a social worker helps a patient manage financial stress, the patient may feel less overwhelmed and become more mentally present for therapy, thus improving compliance with the rehabilitation plan. If a therapist sets clear, achievable goals and the patient begins to see physical progress in terms of regaining independence, that can boost self-confidence, making them more open to receiving support through psychological interventions. Each discipline strengthens the other when we work in sync.

Tips for Therapists to Collaborate Effectively

Translate your observations

Avoid jargon—explain patient challenges in terms your team can relate to. In the case of the therapist, using functional outcomes and linking goals to their impact on the patient’s daily living can help the team (and the patient) better understand the rehabilitation plan and its impact on the patient.

Build trust proactively

Don’t wait for a crisis. Create routine check-ins with social workers and psychologists for smoother teamwork and offer feedback before problems escalate.

Use, don’t replace, each other's expertise

Therapists don’t need to become social workers or psychologists, but we can help identify psychosocial difficulties and refer appropriately. You’re not expected to do everything—refer and consult when needed so each professional can shine.

Set shared, patient-centered goals

Center the discussion around the patient. Goals should include functional, psychological, and social aspects. It’s not just about “walking a few steps” or “completing ADLs,” but about framing goals based upon “what kind of life the patient wants to return to.”

Final Thoughts: We’re Not Parallel Lines—We’re Complementary Tracks

Burn rehabilitation is a long journey. Patients need more than muscle strength and range of motion—they need hope, identity, and support. As therapists, when we engage social workers and psychologists, we make that journey more stable and empowering. Collaboration doesn’t need to begin with a formal meeting. It can start with a small conversation, a shared observation, or a moment of mutual curiosity. Together, we help the patient go farther and steadier—more than if they walked alone, or if we each walked separately.