Exploring Second Victim Syndrome and Support Resource Perceptions Among Nurses in a Teaching Tertiary Care Hospital

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Management
• Nursing Research
• Patient Safety

Background:

• Second victim syndrome affects healthcare professionals after adverse events.
• Limited research exists on nurses' experiences in lower and middle-income countries (LMICs).
• Understanding nurses' perceptions of distress and support is crucial for healthcare leaders.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the magnitude of second victim experiences among nurses in South India.
• To assess nurses' perceptions of available support resources.
• To investigate the impact of second victim syndrome on absenteeism and turnover.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study involving 1074 nurses at a tertiary teaching hospital in Coastal Karnataka.
• Data collected using standardized and validated instruments in April 2023.
• Descriptive statistics used for data analysis in IBM SPSS Statistics 25.

Main Results:

• Organizational support services for second victim experiences were found to be inadequate.
• Nurses relied heavily on non-work-related support (e.g., friends, family).
• Supervisors' attribution of blame and the link between second victim syndrome, absenteeism, and turnover were identified.

Conclusions:

• The study addresses a gap in evidence regarding nurses' second victim experiences in LMICs.
• Findings underscore the significant psychological and mental distress nurses face.
• There is a clear need for enhanced support systems for nurses post-adverse events.