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Healthcare Students and Medical Residents as Second Victims: A Cross-Sectional Study

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  • Carmela Rinaldi

    (Department of Translational Medicine (DiMeT), Università del Piemonte Orientale, 28100 Novara, Italy
    Learning and Research Area, AOU Maggiore della Carità, 28100 Novara, Italy)

  • Matteo Ratti

    (Department of Translational Medicine (DiMeT), Università del Piemonte Orientale, 28100 Novara, Italy)

  • Sophia Russotto

    (Department of Translational Medicine (DiMeT), Università del Piemonte Orientale, 28100 Novara, Italy)

  • Deborah Seys

    (KU Leuven Institute for Healthcare Policy, 3000 Leuven, Belgium)

  • Kris Vanhaecht

    (KU Leuven Institute for Healthcare Policy, 3000 Leuven, Belgium)

  • Massimiliano Panella

    (Department of Translational Medicine (DiMeT), Università del Piemonte Orientale, 28100 Novara, Italy)

Abstract

Background: The term second victim (SV) describes healthcare professionals who remain traumatized after being involved in a patient safety incident (PSI). They can experience various emotional, psychological, and physical symptoms. The phenomenon is quite common; it has been estimated that half of hospital workers will be an SV at least once in their career. Because recent literature has reported high prevalence (>30%) among nursing students, we studied the phenomenon among the whole population of healthcare students. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study with an online questionnaire among nursing students, medical students, and resident physicians at the teaching hospital of the University of the Piemonte Orientale located in Novara, Italy. The study included 387 individuals: 128 nursing students, 174 medical students, and 85 residents. Results: We observed an overall PSI prevalence rate of 25.58% (lowest in medical students, 14.37%; highest in residents, 43.53%). Of these, 62.63% experienced symptoms typical of an SV. The most common temporary symptom was the feeling of working badly (51.52%), whereas the most common lasting symptom was hypervigilance (51.52%). Notably, none of the resident physicians involved in a PSI spoke to the patient or the patient’s relatives. Conclusion: Our findings highlighted the risk incurred by healthcare students of becoming an SV, with a possible significant impact on their future professional and personal lives. Therefore, we suggest that academic institutions should play a more proactive role in providing support to those involved in a PSI.

Suggested Citation

  • Carmela Rinaldi & Matteo Ratti & Sophia Russotto & Deborah Seys & Kris Vanhaecht & Massimiliano Panella, 2022. "Healthcare Students and Medical Residents as Second Victims: A Cross-Sectional Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(19), pages 1-11, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:19:p:12218-:d:925997
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Simone Stevanin & Giulia Causero & Antonietta Zanini & Giampiera Bulfone & Valentina Bressan & Alvisa Palese, 2018. "Adverse events witnessed by nursing students during clinical learning experiences: Findings from a longitudinal study," Nursing & Health Sciences, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 20(4), pages 438-444, December.
    2. Mari Liukka & Alison Steven & M Flores Vizcaya Moreno & Arja M Sara-aho & Jayden Khakurel & Pauline Pearson & Hannele Turunen & Susanna Tella, 2020. "Action after Adverse Events in Healthcare: An Integrative Literature Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(13), pages 1-18, June.
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    Cited by:

    1. Hartwig Marung & Reinhard Strametz & Hannah Roesner & Florian Reifferscheid & Rainer Petzina & Victoria Klemm & Milena Trifunovic-Koenig & Stefan Bushuven, 2023. "Second Victims among German Emergency Medical Services Physicians (SeViD-III-Study)," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(5), pages 1-11, February.
    2. Kris Vanhaecht & Deborah Seys & Sophia Russotto & Reinhard Strametz & José Mira & Sigurbjörg Sigurgeirsdóttir & Albert W. Wu & Kaja Põlluste & Daniela Georgeta Popovici & Raluca Sfetcu & Sule Kurt & M, 2022. "An Evidence and Consensus-Based Definition of Second Victim: A Strategic Topic in Healthcare Quality, Patient Safety, Person-Centeredness and Human Resource Management," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(24), pages 1-10, December.

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