Peer Support Targeting the Second Victim Phenomenon: Implementation and Outcomes.

The second victim phenomenon profoundly impacts clinicians and compromises care. Peer support is a preferred and practical resource, yet accounts of successful initiatives are scarce. Our findings revealed an urgent need: 20% of clinicians experienced emotionally distressing work events in the past month, 88% observed affected colleagues, but only 20% felt adequate support was available. In response, we quickly launched a scalable, evidence-based peer support program with peer-to-peer and online resources to safeguard clinician well-being. Over three months, trained peers facilitated 33 support encounters related to adverse events and personal issues, including bullying. An online platform designed to destigmatize mental health and normalize second victimhood received over 100 visits. Post-implementation, 77% reported timely, adequate support, and awareness of the term "second victim" doubled. This cost-effective, rapid rollout enhanced the perceptions of support and fostered a caring culture among clinicians. Our transferable approach offers a proactive solution for all healthcare disciplines to support second victims, mitigate burnout, and enhance suicide prevention efforts.