["Second victim" - error, crises and how to get out of it].
Medical errors do not only harm patients ("first victims"). Almost all health care professionals become a so-called "second victim" once in their career by being involved in a medical error. Studies show that error involvement can have a tremendous impact on health care workers leading to burnout, depression and professional crisis. Moreover persons involved in errors show a decline in job performance and jeopardize therefore patient safety. Blaming the person is one of the typical psychological reactions after an error happened as the attribution theory tells. The self-esteem gets stabilized if we can put blame on someone and pick out a scapegoat. But standing alone makes the emotional situation even worse. A vicious circle can evolve with tragic effect for the individual and negative implications for patient safety and the health care setting.
Stiftung für Patientensicherheit, Zürich. vonlaue@patientensicherheit.ch
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D002055:Burnout, Professional / Q000523:psychology; D002983:Clinical Competence; D003419:Crisis Intervention; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000523:psychology; D004644:Emotions; D017144:Focus Groups; D006167:Guilt; D006801:Humans; D019300:Medical Errors / Q000523:psychology*; D010348:Patient Care Team; D010559:Personnel Management; D010819:Physician's Role / Q000523:psychology*; D012944:Social Support; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000150:complications; D013405:Suicide / Q000523:psychology; D013557:Switzerland