691 - Exploring the Prevalence of Second Victim Syndrome Among Pediatric Residents and Fellows

Publication Number: 2674.691

Christine M. Joseph, Norton Children’s Hospital, Louisville, KY, United States; Kelly A. Lyons, University of Louisville School of Medicine, Norton Children's Hospital, Louisville, KY, United States

Background: A “second victim” is any health care worker involved in an unanticipated adverse patient event, unintentional healthcare error, and/or patient injury. Healthcare workers identified as “second victims” frequently experience symptoms of psychological and physical distress termed “second victim syndrome” (SVS) with known impact to career sustainability within the medical field. Particularly, medical trainees more frequently report symptoms of SVS compared to their supervisors suggesting increased vulnerability during training. Despite this knowledge, to date there are limited studies focused on the prevalence of SVS among physician trainees, specifically those within pediatrics. The nuances of pediatrics as a specialty, from increased family involvement to heightened responsibility in caring for a child, may predispose trainees to SVS experiences.

Objective: Our study aims to explore the prevalence of SVS in pediatric residents and subspecialty fellows at accredited training programs within a single, quaternary academic center.

Design/Methods: A cross sectional survey study was performed on pediatric residents and subspecialty residents at ACGME accredited programs utilizing an adapted version of the validated Second Victim Experience and Support Tool (SVEST). Demographic data (age, gender, post graduate year) was also collected. Fischer’s exact test, or chi square test were employed to examine association between demographic variables, SVS and desired form of support.

Results: Out of 119 residents and fellows, 37 responded, yielding a 31% response rate. The prevalence of SVS was 49% (58/119). The majority of respondents were Caucasian, female, 25 – 30 years old, and in their first year of training. While not statistically significant, those in earlier training years and female gender had higher rates of SVS. On further multi-variate analysis, no significant associations between SVS and age, gender, or training year were found. For desired support, there was a strong desire for time away from the particular unit following an adverse event, especially amongst females (p = 0.02). Furthermore, female participants preferred a confidential way to discuss their adverse experience (p = 0.0004).

Conclusion(s): Nearly half of pediatric residents and fellows have experienced SVS in their formative years of training. With this knowledge in mind, we encourage increased awareness and education on SVS in medical training programs to promote and encourage positive coping skills and mitigate burnout triggers.

Table 1
Table 1 SVS PAS Submission.pdfDemographics of Participating Residents/Fellows

Table 2
Table 2 SVS PAS Submission.pdfAssociation between SVS and age group, gender, type of resident, and PGY year

Table 3
Table 3 SVS PAS Submission.pdfAssociation between desire for more support for any of the following areas and age group, gender, type of resident, and PGY year