Clinical Report: Second Victim Syndrome in Surgeons – Prevalence, Symptoms, and Coping

Overview

Second victim syndrome (SVS) significantly affects surgeons following adverse patient events, with anxiety, guilt, sadness, and sleep disturbances being the most common symptoms. Coping strategies primarily involve talking to colleagues and family, while factors such as surgeon sex, experience level, and event severity influence symptom impact.

Background

Adverse events in healthcare, including errors and complications, can cause profound psychological distress not only to patients but also to healthcare providers, termed second victim syndrome (SVS). Surgeons are particularly vulnerable to SVS due to the nature of their work, which involves high responsibility, complex decision-making, and the intentional infliction of harm for therapeutic benefit. SVS manifests with psychological, cognitive, social, and physical symptoms, and coping strategies vary widely. Understanding SVS in surgeons is critical to developing effective support interventions.

Data Highlights

Key Findings

• More than half of surgeons experience anxiety (56.3%) and guilt (53.8%) following adverse events.
• Nearly half report sadness (48.3%) and sleep disturbances (50.5%) as common SVS symptoms.
• Talking to colleagues (72.5%) is the most frequently used coping strategy, followed by talking to family or friends (52.0%).
• Surgeon sex, level of experience, and severity of the adverse event are potential predictors of the severity of SVS impact.
• SVS contributes to burnout and attrition among surgeons, affecting their overall well-being.
• Effective interventions require peer support, resilience training, institutional culture changes, and targeted support for at-risk groups.

Clinical Implications

Clinicians and healthcare institutions should recognize SVS as a significant occupational hazard for surgeons and implement multifaceted support systems including peer support programs and resilience training. Normalizing emotional responses and reducing stigma around seeking help can facilitate recovery and reduce burnout. Tailored interventions should consider individual risk factors such as surgeon experience and event severity.

Conclusion

Second victim syndrome is a prevalent and impactful condition among surgeons following adverse events, characterized by significant psychological symptoms and reliance on social support for coping. Addressing SVS through comprehensive, targeted strategies is essential to safeguard surgeon well-being and maintain workforce sustainability.

References

1. Wu A. 2000 -- The First Description of Second Victim Syndrome
2. Scott et al. 2009 -- Six Key Stages of Recovery from SVS
3. Luu et al. 2018 -- Simplified Timeline of SVS Recovery