One in 10 care providers involved in dangerous incidents
A study by a Leuven researcher shows that if something goes wrong in a patient’s care, the doctor or nurse also suffers
Insufficient support
If something goes wrong during patient care, said Van Gerven, doctors and nurses also suffer. They are “second victims” who often have to deal with fear, sleeplessness, flashbacks and a loss of confidence.
Van Gerven asked nearly 5,800 doctors and nurses in Belgium whether they had been involved in an incident that endangered a patient’s safety in the previous six months. The group who had experienced an incident, about 9% of those questioned, ran a greater risk of developing burnout and a problematic use of medication.
Van Gerven also found that only half of the participating hospitals had a policy to support staff in case of an incident and none of them fully meets the international recommendations. She concluded that the psychological impact of incidents is more extreme when the person involved feels responsible, and that women are more negatively affected than men.
She recommends that all hospitals develop a support policy and create more openness about incidents between staff members and between staff and directors. The communication with patients and their families should also be improved.
Photo: Ingimage
