Description

The 2^nd “Mini” MGH Department of Medicine (DOM) Teaching Faculty Retreat will focus on “The Second Victim”.  The term was coined by a professor at Johns Hopkins to describe the impact on healthcare providers when there is a medical mistake, error or unanticipated event in the care of a patient. The first victim is clearly the patient, but it is now recognized that health care providers also have emotional reactions to these events and can be wounded. They are the second victims. Yet the normal feelings of shame, guilt, isolation and fear a provider experiences after an event, may also make them feel unable or unworthy to seek help. Unaddressed these emotions can lead to psychological suffering, depression, burnout, impaired clinical care, drug or alcohol use or even suicide. Providers most at risk to develop second victim syndrome are younger physicians and learners due to their limited experience and ability to contextualize the event, though it can happen to any care provider at any time. Most physicians have experienced the emotions of a second victim at some point in their career. This retreat will teach faculty about the concept of the second victim, help them recognize the emotions associated with it and train them to identify and talk with learners who are wounded when unanticipated events, errors and mistakes occur.