Second-victim experience in anesthesia and intensive care settings: Organizational gaps, support preferences, and...

Healthcare professionals involved in the management of adverse events often experience psychological and physical distress, known as the "second victim experience." Anesthesia and intensive care settings are particularly vulnerable to such occurrences due to the high-stakes, and highly stressful work being performed by healthcare professionals. This study aimed to assess the prevalence and dimensions of second-victim experiences among anesthesia and intensive care professionals in Türkiye, while also identifying support preferences and organizational deficiencies. A cross-sectional study was conducted with 175 healthcare professionals working in anesthesia and intensive care units in Türkiye. The Turkish adaptation of the second-victim experience and support tool (T-SVEST) was used to assess psychological distress, physical distress, professional self-efficacy, perceived support mechanisms, and outcome variables such as turnover intentions and absenteeism. Psychometric analyses, confirmatory factor analysis, and correlation/regression tests were performed to evaluate the scale's validity and to explore correlations among key variables. The T-SVEST demonstrated strong internal consistency (Cronbach α = 0.86) and an improved factor structure following the removal of low-performing items. High levels of psychological and physical distress significantly associated with professional self-efficacy, absenteeism, and turnover intentions were reported. Supervisor and institutional support were perceived as insufficient, particularly among less experienced staff. Age and work experience were positively correlated with colleague support, while married participants reported significantly lower physical distress. Peer support and professional counseling emerged as the most desired support mechanisms. Second-victim experiences are common and consequential among anesthesia and intensive care professionals in Türkiye. The findings have highlighted substantial gaps in organizational support structures and a strong demand for evidence-based peer support systems. Institutional efforts must focus on building a culture of safety and compassion through structured interventions, supervisor training, and proactive debriefing practices to mitigate the impact of adverse events on healthcare providers.