Common Second Victim Responses
Predictable Patterns of Worrying
|
Patient
|
- Is the patient/family okay?
- What have they been told?
- How did they respond?
|
|
Me
|
- Will I be fired? (Nursing and allied health professionals)
- Will I be sued? (Medical staff)
- Will I lose my license? (All professional groups)
|
|
Peers
|
- What will my colleagues think?
- Will I ever be trusted again?
- Will I still be a respected member of my team?
|
|
Next Steps
|
- What happens next?
- Who will be contacting me to discuss the case?
- If a law suit does happen, when will I know? How will I hear about it?
- What do I need to do?
|
Common Phrases heard from Second Victims
- "I had a sickening realization of what happened."
- "I don't deserve to be a doctor."
- "This will change the way I come to work from now on."
- "This has been a career changing event."
- "I'm going to check out my options at Wal-Mart. I can't mess that up!"
- "I came to work today to help someone, not to hurt them."
- "This is a turning point in my career."
- "This event shook me to my core. I'll never be the same again."
Signs and Symptoms Suggestive of a Second Victim Response
Second victims experience many different physical and psychosocial symptoms. These symptoms are normal reactions to an abnormal and unanticipated patient event or outcome.
Common reactions reported by second victims:
| Physical Symptoms |
|
Psychological Symptoms
|
| Sleep disturbances |
|
Isolation |
| Difficulty concentrating |
|
Frustration |
| Eating disturbances |
|
Fear |
| Headache |
|
Uncomfortable returning to work |
| Fatigue |
|
Anger and irritability |
| Nausea/vomiting |
|
Depression |
| Diarrhea |
|
Extreme sadness |
| Rapid heart rate |
|
Self doubt |
| Rapid breathing |
|
Flashbacks |
| Muscle tension |
|
Feeling numb |
|
