The second victim of adverse health care events

Nurs Clin North Am. 2012 Sep;47(3):383-93. doi: 10.1016/j.cnur.2012.05.008. Epub 2012 Jul 28.

Abstract

Nurses and other professionals drawn to health care by their desire to help others may be traumatized because they are involved in situations that bring harm rather than healing to patients. Health systems should develop early warning systems to alert unit or team leaders when health workers are at risk of harm from adverse events. This article focuses on health professionals who become second victims of adverse events that occur to patients.

MeSH terms

  • Crisis Intervention
  • Education, Nursing
  • Health Personnel / psychology*
  • Humans
  • Medical Errors*
  • Nursing Staff / education
  • Nursing Staff / psychology
  • Risk Management*
  • Social Support*
  • Stress, Psychological / prevention & control*
  • United States