Ethical issues in research with second victims: A scoping review

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Ethics
• Nursing Research
• Patient Safety

Background:

• Second victims are healthcare professionals, primarily nurses, affected by patient adverse events.
• Research on second victims is growing, but ethical concerns regarding participant rights persist.
• Ethical risks in research involving second victims require careful consideration.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the adherence of research on second victims to ethical requirements.
• To identify ethical gaps in studies involving healthcare personnel affected by adverse events.
• To ensure the protection of second victims' rights in research settings.

Main Methods:

• A scoping review was conducted using PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus databases.
• Included studies were published between 2014-2023 in English, Spanish, or Portuguese.
• A critical narrative approach analyzed fifteen qualitative, quantitative, and mixed-method studies.

Main Results:

• Over half of the studies were not assessed by a research ethics committee.
• Approximately one-third of studies did not report using informed consent.
• Some studies involved recruitment by superiors, potentially compromising autonomy and voluntary participation.

Conclusions:

• A significant portion of research on second victims fails to meet fundamental ethical standards.
• Ethical breaches risk disrespecting participant autonomy, confidentiality, and the principle of 'do no harm'.
• Improved ethical practices are crucial for safeguarding the rights of second victim research participants.