Revelations of the Second Victim Syndrome Research: A Bibliometric Analysis of Publications in the Field Over the Past Two Decades
#Jing Jiang and Mengyuan Liu are co-first authors
Healthcare practitioners distressed by patient safety incidents are referred to as "second victims" and may develop a condition known as "second victim syndrome". A bibliometric analysis of two decades of literature mapped the research landscape of second victim syndrome. The publications on the second victim syndrome in the Web of Science Core Collection (WOSCC) were identified and subjected to a thorough analysis utilizing visualization tools such as VOS Viewer and Cite Space. A comprehensive analysis of the WOSCC revealed a total of 299 academic articles spanning the timeframe from 2000 to 2024. The leading contributors in terms of publications were identified as the United States (n=106), China (n=18), and Italy (n=17). Researchers in United States are at the forefront of global research on second victim syndrome, while researchers from other countries have also intensified their focus and investigations into the issue. Relevant studies underscore the negative consequences of medical errors and adverse events on the emotional well-being of individuals affected as second victims. There is a noticeable trend for the research on second victim syndrome to shift its focus from medical errors and emotional impacts towards highlighting the importance of peer support, professional support, and an increased emphasis on quality control and risk management.Through a bibliometric analysis of two decades of publications, this study maps the research landscape of second victim syndrome, providing valuable insights for medical professionals and researchers and highlighting future research directions.
[1] Amit A. A., Fariba M., Shoshana F., & Melnikov S. (2021). Nurses as 'second victims' to their patients' suicidal attempts: A mixed-method study. Journal of Clinical Nursing, 30(21-22), 3290-3300. http://doi.org/10.1111/jocn.15839
[2] Aria M., & Cuccurullo C. (2017). Bibliometrix: An Rtool for comprehensive science mapping analysis. Journal of Informetrics, 4(11), 959-975.
[3] Busch I. M., Moretti F., Purgato M., Barbui C., Wu A. W., & Rimondini M. (2020). Psychological and psychosomatic symptoms of second victims of adverse events: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Patient Safety, 16(2), e61-e74. http://doi. org/10.1097/PTS.0000000000000589
[4] Chard R., & Tovin M. (2018). The meaning of intraoperative errors: Perioperative nurse perspectives. Aorn Journal, 107(2), 225-235. http://doi. org/10.1002/aorn.12032
[5] Chen C. (2004). Searching for intellectual turning points: Progressive knowledge domain visualization. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 101 Suppl 1(Suppl 1), 5303-5310. http://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.0307513100
[6] Choi E. Y., Pyo J., Lee W., Jang S. G., Park Y. K., Ock M., & Lee H. (2021). Perception gaps of disclosure of patient safety incidents between nurses and the general public in Korea. Journal of Patient Safety, 17(8), e971-e975. http://doi.org/10.1097/PTS.0000000000000781
[7] Chong R., Yaow C., Chong N. Z., Yap N., Hong A., Ng Q. X., & Tan H. K. (2024). Scoping review of the second victim syndrome among surgeons: Understanding the impact, responses, and support systems. American Journal of Surgery, 229, 5-14. http://doi. org/10.1016/j.amjsurg.2023.09.045
[8] El Hechi M. W., Bohnen J. D., Westfal M., Han K., Cauley C., Wright C., ... & Kaafarani H. M. (2020). Design and impact of a novel surgery-specific second victim peer support program. Journal of the American College of Surgeons, 230(6), 926-933. http://doi. org/10.1016/j.jamcollsurg.2019.10.015
[9] Fei X., Zeng Q., Wang J., Gao Y., & Xu F. (2022). Bibliometric analysis of 100 most-cited articles in delirium. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 13, 931632. http://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2022.931632
[10] Finney R. E., & Jacob A. K. (2023). Peer support and second victim programs for anesthesia professionals involved in stressful or traumatic clinical events. Adv Anesth, 41(1), 39-52. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.aan.2023.05.003
[11] Heiss K., & Clifton M. (2019). The unmeasured quality metric: Burn out and the second victim syndrome in healthcare. Seminars in Pediatric Surgery, 28(3), 189-194. http://doi.org/10.1053/j.sempedsurg.2019.04.011
[12] Hess A., Flicek T., Watral A. T., Phillips M., Derby K., Ayres S., ... & Blocker R. (2024). BONE break: A hot debrief tool to reduce second victim syndrome for nurses. Joint Commission Journal on Quality and Patient Safety, 50(9), 673-677. http://doi. org/10.1016/j.jcjq.2024.05.005
[13] Kim Y., & Lee H. (2020). Nurses' experiences with disclosure of patient safety incidents: A qualitative study. Risk Management and Healthcare Policy, 13, 453-464. http://doi.org/10.2147/RMHP.S253399
[14] Koehn A. R., Ebright P. R., & Draucker C. B. (2016). Nurses' experiences with errors in nursing. Nursing Outlook, 64(6), 566-574. http://doi. org/10.1016/j. outlook.2016.05.012
[15] Kokol P., Blazun V. H., & Zavrsnik J. (2021). Application of bibliometrics in medicine: A historical bibliometrics analysis. Health Information and Libraries Journal, 38(2), 125-138. http://doi.org/10.1111/hir.12295
[16] Koyle M. A., Chua M. E., Kherani T., Pereira N., & Heiss K. (2021). The second victim requires more than Medice Cura Te Ipsum. Cuaj-Canadian Urological Association Journal, 15(6 Suppl 1), S40-S42. http://doi.org/10.5489/cuaj.7229
[17] Krugliak N., Gagnon K., Sawadsky B., Lewell M., McGowan M., & Nolan B. (2024). The role of paramedics in disclosure of patient safety incidents: A mixed methods study. Air Med J, 43(1), 66-68. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.amj.2023.11.010
[18] Lee W., Pyo J., Jang S. G., Choi J. E., & Ock M. (2019). Experiences and responses of second victims of patient safety incidents in Korea: A qualitative study. Bmc Health Services Research, 19(1), 100. http://doi. org/10.1186/s12913-019-3936-1
[19] MacGillivray T. E. (2020). Advancing the culture of patient safety and quality improvement. Methodist Debakey Cardiovasc J, 16(3), 192-198. http://doi.org/10.14797/mdcj-16-3-192
[20] McCarthy S. E., Keane T., Walsh A., Mellon L., Williams D. J., Jenkins L., ... & Rafter N. (2021). Effect of after action review on safety culture and second victim experience and its implementation in an Irish hospital: A mixed methods study protocol. Plos One, 16(11), e259887. http://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0259887
[21] Naya K., Aikawa G., Ouchi A., Ikeda M., Fukushima A., Yamada S., ... & Sakuramoto H. (2023). Second victim syndrome in intensive care unit healthcare workers: A systematic review and meta-analysis on types, prevalence, risk factors, and recovery time. Plos One, 18(10), e292108. http://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0292108
[22] Nosanov L., Elseth A. J., Maxwell J., Alimi Y. R., Giri O., Millar J. K., ... & Weaver J. L. (2023). The things we carry: The scope and impact of second victim syndrome. American Journal of Surgery, 226(5), 726-728. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.amjsurg.2023.06.035
[23] Pacutova V., Geckova A. M., de Winter A. F., & Reijneveld S. A. (2023). Opportunities to strengthen resilience of health care workers regarding patient safety. Bmc Health Services Research, 23(1), 1127. http://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-023-10054-0
[24] Pan S., Sun H., Chen G., Li J., & Ding X. (2020). The current state of research on the second victim in medical adverse events. Chinese Nursing Management, 20(4), 558-563.
[25] Pyo J., Choi E. Y., Lee W., Jang S. G., Park Y. K., Ock M., & Lee S. I. (2020). Korean physicians' perceptions regarding disclosure of patient safety incidents: A cross sectional study. Plos One, 15(10), e240380. http://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0240380
[26] Quillivan R. R., Burlison J. D., Browne E. K., Scott S. D., & Hoffman J. M. (2016). Patient safety culture and the second victim phenomenon: Connecting culture to staff distress in nurses. Joint Commission Journal On Quality and Patient Safety, 42(8), 377-386. http://doi.org/10.1016/s1553-7250(16)42053-2
[27] Sachs C. J., & Wheaton N. (2024). Second victim syndrome. In Statpearls (Eds.), Statpearls (pp. 12-18). Treasure Island, FL: Statpearls Publishing.
[28] Scott S. D., Hirschinger L. E., Cox K. R., McCoig M., Brandt J., & Hall L. W. (2009). The natural history of recovery for the healthcare provider "second victim" after adverse patient events. Qual Saf Health Care, 18(5), 325-330. http://doi.org/10.1136/qshc.2009.032870
[29] Scott S. D., Hirschinger L. E., Cox K. R., McCoig M., Hahn-Cover K., Epperly K. M., ... & Hall L. W. (2010). Caring for our own: Deploying a systemwide second victim rapid response team. Joint Commission Journal on Quality and Patient Safety, 36(5), 233-240. http://doi.org/10.1016/s1553-7250(10)36038-7
[30] Shomalinasab E., Bagheri Z., Jahangirimehr A., & Bahramnezhad F. (2023). The nurses' second victim syndrome and moral distress. Nursing Ethics, 30(6), 822-831. http://doi.org/10.1177/09697330221142079
[31] Shuangjiang Z., Huanhuan H., Ling X., Qinghua Z., & Mingzhao X. (2022). Second victim experience and support desire among nurses working at regional levels in China. Journal of Nursing Management, 30(3), 767-776. http://doi.org/10.1111/jonm.13563
[32] Slykerman G., Wiemers M. J., & Wyssusek K. H. (2019). Peer support in anaesthesia: Development and implementation of a peer-support programme within the Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital Department of Anaesthesia and Perioperative Medicine. Anaesthesia and Intensive Care, 47 (4), 456-463. http://doi. org/10.1177/0310057X19878450
[33] Strametz R., Koch P., Vogelgesang A., Burbridge A., Rosner H., Abloescher M., ... & Raspe M. (2021). Prevalence of second victims, risk factors and support strategies among young German physicians in internal medicine (SeViD-I survey). Journal of Occupational Medicine and Toxicology, 16(1), 11. http://doi. org/10.1186/s12995-021-00300-8
[34] Tavares A., Barlem J., Pereira R. L., Oliveira A., Avelino F., & Paloski G. (2022). Patient Safety Incidents and the second victim phenomenon among nursing students. Revista Da Escola De Enfermagem Da Usp, 56, e20220005. http://doi.org/10.1590/1980-220XREEUSP-2022-0005en
[35] Thompson M., Hunnicutt R., Broadhead M., Vining B., & Aroke E. N. (2022). Implementation of a certified registered nurse anesthetist second victim peer support program. Journal of Perianesthesia Nursing, 37(2), 167-173. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.jopan.2021.05.005
[36] van Eck N. J., & Waltman L. (2010). Software survey: VOSviewer, a computer program for bibliometric mapping. Scientometrics, 84(2), 523-538. http://doi. org/10.1007/s11192-009-0146-3
[37] Vanhaecht K., Seys D., Schouten L., Bruyneel L., Coeckelberghs E., Panella M., & Zeeman G. (2019). Duration of second victim symptoms in the aftermath of a patient safety incident and association with the level of patient harm: A cross-sectional study in the Netherlands. Bmj Open, 9(7), e29923. http://doi. org/10.1136/bmjo‐pen-2019-029923
[38] Wahlberg A., Hogberg U., & Emmelin M. (2019). The erratic pathway to regaining a professional self-image after an obstetric work-related trauma: A grounded theory study. International Journal of Nursing Studies, 89, 53-61. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2018.07.016
[39] Whalen A., & Collins C. (2024). Unmasking the silent struggle: Second victim syndrome among surgeons. American Journal of Surgery, 229, 3-4. http://doi. org/10.1016/j.amjsurg.2023.11.018
[40] Wolf M., Smith K., Basu M., & Heiss K. (2023). The prevalence of second victim syndrome and emotional distress in pediatric intensive care providers. Journal of Pediatric Intensive Care, 12(2), 125-130. http://doi.org/10.1055/s-0041-1731666
[41] Wu A. W. (2000). Medical error: The second victim. The doctor who makes the mistake needs help too. Bmj British Medical Journal, 320(7237), 726-727. http://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.320.7237.726
[42] Wu A. W., & Steckelberg R. C. (2012). Medical error, incident investigation and the second victim: Doing better but feeling worse?. Bmj Quality & Safety, 21(4), 267-270. http://doi.org/10.1136/bmjqs-2011-000605
[43] Yarbrough S., Martin P., Alfred D., & McNeill C. (2017). Professional values, job satisfaction, career development, and intent to stay. Nursing Ethics, 24(6), 675-685. http://doi.org/10.1177/0969733015623098