Impact of second victim distress on healthcare professionals' intent to leave, absenteeism and resilience: A mediation model of organizational support

Abstract

AbstractAimsTo examine the relationship between the second victim distress and outcome variables, specifically: ‘turnover intentions, absenteeism and resilience’. Furthermore, this study also assessed how organizational support mediates the relationship between second victim distress and outcome variables.DesignCross‐sectional survey.MethodsA cross‐sectional survey study using regression and mediation analysis with bootstrapping was conducted among (n = 149) healthcare professionals in two university hospitals in Finland from September 2022 to April 2023 during different time periods. The Finnish version of the revised Second Victim Experience and Support Tool (FI‐SVEST‐R) was used to assess second victim distress, level of organizational support and related outcomes.ResultsPsychological distress was the most frequently experienced form of reported second victim distress, and institutional support was the lowest perceived form of support by healthcare professionals. The study found second victim distress to have a significant association with work‐related outcomes: turnover intention and absenteeism. However, no significant relationship was found with resilience. Mediation models with organizational support revealed a partially mediated relationship between second victim distress and work‐related outcomes.ConclusionsThe findings from this study indicate that second victim experiences if not adequately addressed can lead to negative work‐related outcomes such as increased job turnover and absenteeism. Such outcomes not only affect healthcare professionals but can also have a cascading effect on the quality of care. However, the mediating effect of organizational support suggests that if comprehensive support is provided, it is possible to mitigate the negative impact of the second victim phenomenon.ImpactRaising awareness regarding the second victim phenomenon, promoting a culture of safety and shifting the paradigm from a blame to just culture helps in identifying the system flaws thus improving both patient and provider safety.Reporting MethodThe study adheres to the STROBE reporting guidelines.Patient or Public ContributionNo patient or public contribution.