Objective To explore the cognition, emotion and will experience of nurses in rescue of major traffic accidents. Methods The study was carried out with the phenomenological approach within qualitative research. From January 2014 to June 2017, a total of 10 nurses of China-Japan Union Hospital of Jilin University taking part in traffic accident rescue were selected as interviewees. Colaizzi method was used to sort out and analyze data. Results According to data analysis, 7 themes were induced including management capacity, operation skills of first aid, shock and heartache, sense of responsibility and mission, fear, being conscious of negative emotions as well as finding ways to control negative emotions. Conclusions The controlling ways of psychological pressure problem for first aid nurses are put forward by analyzing psychological experience of nurses in rescue of traffic accident so as to provide a basis for managers to formulate training system.