The Second Victim of Medical Error
Abstract
When we speak of medical error, attention rightly focuses on those who have suffered its consequences: the patient and their family. However, there is another person who often remains silent and can also be deeply affected: the professional who committed the error or was involved in it. This person is known as the “second victim.”
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References
1. Wu AW. Medical error: the second victim. The doctor who makes the mistake needs help too. BMJ. 2000, 320 (7237), 726-727. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.320.7237.726.
2. 2. Simms-Ellis R, Harrison R, Sattar R, et al. Avoiding 'second victims' in healthcare: what support do staff want for coping with patient safety incidents, what do they get and is it effective? A systematic review. BMJ Open. 2025, 15(2), e087512. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2024-087512
3. Mira JJ, Matarredona V, Tella S, et al. Unveiling the hidden struggle of healthcare students as second victims through a systematic review. BMC Med Educ. 2024, 24(1), 378. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-024-05336-y
4. Sánchez-García A, Saurín-Morán PJ, Carrillo I, et al. Patient safety topics, especially the second victim phenomenon, are neglected in undergraduate medical and nursing curricula in Europe: an online observational study. BMC Nurs. 2023, 22, 283. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12912-023-01448-w
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