New European course on second victims

A European network addresses the consequences of second victims with a strong focus on education and support

Mistakes and errors can happen in healthcare, even for highly competent health and care providers. When an adverse patient event occurs, naturally, patients and their families are the first victims of these sad events. The second victims are the health and care providers traumatised by the event. Their reactions, such as guilt, shame, depression, and burnout have acute but also long-term consequences.

The second victim concept was first defined by Prof. Albert Wu in 2000, but today adequate support and education is lacking. To address the gap, the new European course on second victims has been developed and focuses on improving knowledge, skills and attitudes related to second victims and the required support. The free, self-paced course aims to improve outcomes for both colleagues and patients. It includes lecture videos, info-graphics, case studies, and quiz questions to support learning in all levels.

ERNST course on second victims

Second victim researchers from 30 European countries are excited to announce the launch of the new ‘European Course on Second Victims’. The course was developed by as a part of the COST Action The European Researchers’ Network Working on Second Victims (ERNST).

Led by Prof. José Joaquin Mira, the researchers are working on better European preparedness and competence, including harmonised second victim support and education. It is crucial to protect the mental health and wellbeing of the health and care providers. They are working under extreme pressure, facing job-related stress, and physical and mental health risks. European countries must prioritise the health and wellbeing of their health and care providers to ensure safe and high-quality care for their citizens. Europe needs to be prepared at every level.

“This phenomenon of second victims has a direct impact on the quality of patient care. The emotional disturbance that characterizes the second victim’s experience leads to a reduction in the quality of care provided and increases the risk of safety events. With this course, we aim to draw attention to this problem and establish the groundwork for new interventions that contribute to better patient care in hospitals and primary care settings in our countries, implementing the principles of the Just Culture”

Prof. José Joaquin Mira, ERNST Action Chair

In the course participants will learn about the consequences of adverse patient events for victims, institutions, and health systems, and the relevance of promoting psychological safety. The course provides knowledge of how to support healthcare workers in the aftermath of stressful situations, and in the situations when things go wrong. Upon completion, participants will receive a certificate.

Professor Paulo Sousa, Working Group Leader within ERNST and working on Make feasible interventions, train professionals, and implement cultural, legal or educational changes, believes that this course can make an interesting contribution to improving and reinforcing second victim awareness among healthcare professionals, leaders of healthcare institutions, and policymakers across European countries.

“I believe that this course, along with the various initiatives developed by the ERNST network, represents a fundamental contribution to improving awareness and helping to harmonise and promote courses and training programs in the area of the second victim throughout Europe.”

Prof Paulo Sousa. ERNST Working Group Leader

The course is comprehensive, providing an initial introduction to the topic whilst also exploring the evolution of the concept over the last decade. With a theoretical component based on the latest evidence and the description, analysis, and discussion of case studies, the course is interesting and robust, reflecting a reality common to several European countries.

There is currently limited training available in the area of the second victim. Therefore, this course can provide valuable support and serve as a starting point to inspire the development of educational and training programs in this area throughout different European countries. The course has also already received positive take-up by the community and the Finnish Client and Patient Safety Center is planning to provide the course in their learning environment to support the implementation of national patient safety strategy and second victim support preparedness.

Branching out

The IV ERNST International Forum, October 2-3 2023, will be an online event that brings together healthcare professionals and researchers from across Europe to share their experiences, knowledge, and ideas on how to improve healthcare in the region.

Additional information