Moving on after critical incidents in health care: a qualitative study of the perspectives and experiences of second victims
Buhlmann M, Ewens B, Rashidi A. Moving on after critical incidents in health care: a qualitative study of the perspectives and experiences of second victims. J Adv Nurs. 2022;78(9):2960-2972. doi:10.1111/jan.15274.
The term “second victims” describes clinicians who experience emotional or physical distress following involvement in an adverse event. Nurses and midwives were interviewed about “moving on” from the impact of a critical incident. Five main themes were identified: Initial emotional and physical response, the aftermath, long-lasting repercussions, workplace support, and moving on. Lack of organizational support exacerbated the nurses’ and midwives’ responses.