CLINICAL NURSE SPECIALIST PRACTICE INTERVENTIONS FOR SECOND VICTIMS OF ADVERSE PATIENT EVENTS

Background: Second-victim impact describes emotional suffering that occurs secondary to an adverse patient event and occurs in approximately half of all healthcare providers. Immediate intervention is needed to reduce consequences including nursing turnover, job absenteeism, repeat adverse events, professional burnout, and posttraumatic stress. Purpose: To provide clinical nurse specialists a summary of second-victim impact secondary to adverse patient events, a review of associated negative outcomes, and clinical nurse specialist practice recommendations. Recommendations: Clinical nurse specialist nursing interventions include implementation of validated screening tools, identification of healthcare providers at high risk of second-victim impact, recognition of signs of second-victim impact, facilitating supportive clinical debriefings, providing supporting dialogue, and mentorship through stages of recovery and the institutional response. Clinical nurse specialist organization/system interventions to reduce the consequences of second-victim impact include supporting a culture of safety, leading organizational improvement, as well as advocating for education and support for second victims on the national level. Conclusions: Clinical nurse specialists have the potential to mitigate the effects of second-victim impact associated with adverse patient events and secondary complications through use of evidence-based practice interventions.