The small hospital in Whakatane was the first to treat Whakaari/White Island victims following Monday's eruption.
The two doctors and six nurses were suddenly confronted with one of New Zealand's largest natural disasters, and Whakatane Hospital clinical leader Dr Heike Hundemer said what they faced was "beyond comprehension".
"I've never seen this number of critically injured patients coming into an emergency department in such a short space of time," she said.
Whakatane Hospital coordinator Dr David Van Dijk said it felt "surreal" to them.
"We all deal with tragic events in their own way. Many of us are still coming to terms with what happened," he said.
Extra staffing resources and large quantities of skin are being flown in from the United States, Australia and the United Kingdom following the eruption.
Twenty-one survivors remain in burns units across New Zealand and several are fighting for their life. Behind the walls of Middlemore Hospital is an around the clock battle to save their lives.
Director-general of health Ashley Bloomfield said the victims continue to require the highest level of care, and a small number are very unwell.
One seriously injured patient is tour guide Jake Millbank. He received burns to 80 percent of his body in the eruption.
His road to recovery, along with the other survivors, will involve multiple operations and skin grafts.
Large quantities of skin are being urgently ordered from Australia and the United States and at least 110,000 square centimetres in total is needed.
Bloomfield said the immense order gives an indication of the extent of the burns suffered by those who are injured.
