The second victim phenomenon in health care: A literature review

Aim: This study aimed to explore the knowledge on the second victim phenomenon (SVP) in health care, more specifically within the speciality of obstetrics. Methods: An extensive electronic search of multiple databases, with additional hand searching of the reference lists of pertinent articles regarding the SVP, was performed from May 2017 to December 2018. Results: A review of the literature suggests consistent evidence of the substantial impact of adverse medical events on health-care professionals across a range of specialities. The effects of an adverse medical event for the health-care professional are ominous, with many experiencing feelings of sadness, guilt and anxiety, as well as some displaying symptoms consistent with post-traumatic stress disorder. Negative effects may be exacerbated for health-care professionals in the case of an adverse maternal event due to its highly sensitive and dramatic nature, involving both maternal and neonatal lives. The provision of timely and effective support at the individual and more specifically the organisational level has been positively correlated with a second victim's recovery. Yet, limited organisations have formal support interventions designed specifically for the needs of the second victim.