Organizational Interventions to Support Second Victims in Acute Care Settings: A Scoping Study

Area of Science:

• Healthcare quality and safety
• Occupational health and well-being
• Medical error response

Background:

• Health care providers are susceptible to psychological distress following adverse events.
• These individuals are termed "second victims" due to the harm they experience.
• Support systems for second victims in acute care settings are not well-characterized.

Purpose of the Study:

• To characterize the range and context of interventions designed to support second victims.
• To identify common themes and approaches in existing support programs.
• To assess the current state of research on the effectiveness of these interventions.

Main Methods:

• A comprehensive scoping study was conducted using Arksey and O'Malley's framework.
• Searches included major biomedical databases (PubMed, CINAHL, EMBASE, Cochrane) and gray literature.
• Data from 22 identified interventions were qualitatively analyzed to categorize their context and characteristics.

Main Results:

• Twenty-two interventions were identified, categorized as peer support (n=8), proactive education (n=6), or combined approaches (n=8).
• Most programs originated in the United States (n=18), with some triggered by specific traumatic events.
• Confidentiality was a feature in 9 peer support programs, but outcome measures were frequently unreported.

Conclusions:

• The study identifies a nascent field of support for second victims with limited qualitative data.
• Many programs share similar designs, often influenced by a small group of experts.
• Concerns regarding legal implications may impede the documentation and study of program effectiveness.