Second-victim experience and support among nurses in mainland China

Area of Science:

• Nursing research
• Patient safety
• Healthcare professional well-being

Background:

• Adverse events significantly impact healthcare professionals, yet individual and event-specific factors influencing their experiences remain under-researched.
• Nurses, as frontline providers, are particularly vulnerable to the psychological effects of being a 'second victim' following medical errors.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the prevalence and nature of second victim experiences among nurses in mainland China.
• To explore individual and event-related factors associated with nurses' second victim experiences.
• To identify preferred support mechanisms for nurses experiencing psychological distress after adverse events.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional survey was conducted using self-report electronic questionnaires.
• Data were collected from approximately 6400 nurses across six tertiary comprehensive hospitals in mainland China.
• The study utilized questionnaires assessing socio-demographics, adverse event details, and second victim experiences and support.

Main Results:

• A high prevalence (45.26%) of nurses reported involvement in at least one adverse event, primarily leading to psychological distress.
• Factors associated with second victim reactions included male gender, Grade I adverse events, and public reporting/discussion of events.
• Discussing experiences with a respected colleague emerged as the most desired form of support.

Conclusions:

• Chinese nurses exhibit a high incidence of psychological reactions following adverse events, highlighting the 'second victim' phenomenon.
• Nursing managers must implement targeted support, including psychological first-aid and tailored immediate/long-term strategies, based on identified factors and nurse preferences.
• Future research should explore additional contributing factors to better understand and mitigate the impact on nurses.