Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 5, 2026
09:12
The Resident-intruder Paradigm: A Standardized Test for Aggression, Violence and Social Stress
Published on: July 4, 2013
Second victim: a concept analysis based on Rodgers' evolutionary model
Matheus Tavares França da Silva1, Caroliny Cristine Dos Santos Mendes2, Rebeca Furtado Fernandes3
1Master's student, Graduate Program in Clinical Nursing and Health Care, Universidade Estadual do Ceará, Fortaleza, Brazil. Email: matheus.tavares@aluno.uece.br Universidade Estadual do Ceará Fortaleza Brazil matheus.tavares@aluno.uece.br.
Revista Cuidarte
|August 2, 2026
Summary
Healthcare professionals involved in patient harm incidents, known as "second victims," experience significant physical and emotional distress. A punitive culture and lack of support worsen these impacts, affecting patient safety and leading to burnout.
Area of Science:
- Healthcare quality and safety
- Medical ethics
- Occupational health
Background:
- Healthcare-related incidents profoundly impact professionals, termed "second victims."
- The psychological and emotional toll on these individuals is a significant, often overlooked, aspect of patient harm.
Purpose of the Study:
- To conduct a concept analysis of the "second victim" using Rodgers' evolutionary perspective.
- To identify and define the core attributes, antecedents, and consequences associated with the "second victim" phenomenon.
Main Methods:
- A scoping review was employed to systematically identify literature on the "second victim" concept.
- Rodgers' evolutionary concept analysis framework guided the review process.
Main Results:
- Key attributes include persistent physical, emotional, and psychological consequences.
- Antecedents identified were a punitive work culture and insufficient institutional/peer support.
- Consequences encompass a wide range of adverse effects, including mental health issues, absenteeism, and profession departure.
Conclusions:
- The "second victim" concept encompasses healthcare personnel experiencing distress after unintentional patient harm incidents.
- Punitive environments exacerbate negative outcomes, compromise patient safety, and hinder organizational learning.
- Adequate support is crucial to prevent "second victim" reactions from becoming chronic or pathological.
Related Concept Videos
01:29Theory of Attribution II: Kelley's Covariation Theory
Attribution theory plays a crucial role in social psychology, helping to explain how individuals interpret the causes of behavior. One prominent model within this field is Harold Kelley's covariation theory, which provides a systematic approach to determining whether internal traits or external circumstances drive a person's actions. The model posits that individuals rely on three key types of information—consensus, consistency, and distinctiveness—to make these judgments.Consensus: Comparing...
00:56Attribution Theory
Behavior is a product of both the situation (e.g., cultural influences, social roles, and the presence of bystanders) and of the person (e.g., personality characteristics). Subfields of psychology tend to focus on one influence or behavior over others. Situationism is the view that our behavior and actions are determined by our immediate environment and surroundings. In contrast, dispositionism holds that our behavior is determined by internal factors (Heider, 1958). An internal factor is an...
01:25Models of Health Promotion and Illness Prevention I
A model is a theoretical way to understand a concept or an idea. Models can overcome barriers to health regardless of diverse economic and cultural backgrounds. In addition, models make the task easier by providing different ways to approach complex issues. There are two major health promotion models: the health belief model and the health promotion model.
The health belief model (HBM) attempts to predict health-related behavior in specific belief patterns. According to the HBM, a person's...
The health belief model (HBM) attempts to predict health-related behavior in specific belief patterns. According to the HBM, a person's...
01:23Criticisms of the Evolutionary Perspective
In a study where individuals posing as strangers offered compliments and proposed casual sex to students, the responses differed significantly based on gender. Not a single woman accepted the proposal, while 70% of the men agreed. This outcome provides a useful scenario to explore through the lens of evolutionary psychology and social learning theory, highlighting the diverse perspectives on human sexual behaviors.
Evolutionary psychology provides one explanation for these findings, suggesting...
Evolutionary psychology provides one explanation for these findings, suggesting...
01:20Evolutionary Psychology
Evolutionary psychology explores the origins of human behavior and mental processes by framing them within the context of natural selection, a theory famously propounded by Charles Darwin. This field asserts that many behaviors common across human societies — ranging from instinctive fear reactions to complex social interactions — arose as evolutionary adaptations. These adaptations enhanced the survival and reproductive success of our ancestors, thereby becoming embedded in the human psyche...
01:29Instinct Theory
Instinct theory proposes that innate biological instincts, like animal behavioral patterns, primarily drive human behavior. These instincts are inborn, not learned, and are fundamental to decision-making and action. Just as animals rely on instincts for critical survival functions such as migration, nest building, and defense, humans are also believed to exhibit behaviors rooted in evolutionary needs. For example, the instinct to reproduce motivates sexual behavior, while territorial instincts...