Living With the Aftermath: The Second Victim Experience Among Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists

The second victim experience is defined as a healthcare professional who is traumatized by adverse events that have occurred to the patient, the first victim. This traumatization can cause a range of symptoms such as guilt, anxiety, disturbed sleep, and decreased job satisfaction. The purposes of this study were to understand certified registered nurse anesthetists' (CRNAs') second victim distress, perceived support, and the impact of the second victim experience on absenteeism and turnover intention. A survey was administered to CRNAs from the Michigan Association of Nurse Anesthetists, with a total of 172 responses suitable for analysis. Psychological distress was experienced by 20.3% (n = 35) of CRNAs. Additionally, 16.3% (n = 28) and 15.1% (n = 26) of CRNAs experienced physical distress and professional self-efficacy issues respectively where CRNAs doubted whether they were a good healthcare provider and questioned their professional abilities. Turnover intentions and absenteeism were also evaluated with 11.6% of CRNAs wanting to take a job outside of patient care and/or quit their job, and 13% identified that they needed a mental health day and/or time away from work after their experience. Organizations must consider offering peer support and supportive counseling for practitioners who have suffered from traumatic events and identify desired forms of support among staff.