To Err is human, but what happens when surgeons Err?

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Patient Safety
• Surgical Outcomes

Background:

• Physicians involved in adverse events may experience significant emotional and physical distress, a phenomenon known as second victim syndrome.
• This syndrome can have lasting effects on healthcare professionals long after a patient safety event has occurred.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the prevalence of second victim syndrome among surgeons at a children's hospital.
• To evaluate how surgeons' age, position, and gender influence their responses to adverse events.

Main Methods:

• An anonymous 19-question survey was distributed via institutional email.
• The survey utilized Research Electronic Data Capture (REDCap) and included all faculty surgeons and surgical trainees.
• A 98% completion rate was achieved among faculty surgeons, with 73 total participants.

Main Results:

• Eighty-four percent of surgeons reported difficulty coping with adverse outcomes or patient/family dissatisfaction.
• The most common coping strategy was speaking with a colleague (82%).
• Younger surgeons were more likely to suppress emotions, and trainees were less likely to encourage peer reporting to superiors (p < 0.05).

Conclusions:

• Second victim syndrome is highly prevalent in pediatric surgeons.
• Surgeons' responses to adverse events vary by age and position.
• Formal support systems are crucial for fostering a culture where seeking and offering help is normalized.