Second victim and burnout after adverse events in healthcare personnel

Gomez H.E.L.; Marcelo J.M.M.; Tapia N.G.S. · Gaceta Medica de Caracas (2026) · DOI: 10.47307/gmc.2026.134.2.11

Resumen

Introduction: The “second victim” experience following adverse events has been linked to distress and impaired staff well-being, with repercussions for burnout and patient safety. Objective: To analyze the association between the experience of being a secondary victim and burnout among healthcare workers, as well as to describe their perception of organizational support following an adverse event. Design, setting, and participants: Observational, analytical, and cross-sectional study at the Daniel Alcides Carrion Hospital between May and October 2025, in healthcare personnel selected using non-probability quota sampling. Experimental design and execution: The Second Victim Experience and Support Tool (SVEST-E) and the Copenhagen Burnout Inventory (CBI) were administered. Descriptive analyses and multiple linear regression with robust standard errors were performed. Main outcomes studied: burnout (CBI) and its association with second victim experience, and psychological distress as measured by SVEST-E. Results: 450 surveys were analyzed; The total CBI was 52.1 ± 15.4 (0–100) and the psychological distress (SVEST-E) was 2.78 ± 0.74 (1–5). Psychological distress correlated with burnout (r = 0.46). In the adjusted model (n=430; complete cases), psychological distress was associated with a higher total CBI (β = 8.4; 95% CI: 6.7 to 10.1). Higher burnout scores were also observed in those who reported involvement in an adverse event (β = 4.5; 95% CI: 1.8 to 7.2), night shifts (β = 2.6; 95% CI: 0.4 to 4.8), and a higher weekly workload (β = 1.9 per 10 hours; 95% CI: 0.7 to 3.1). Among the dimensions of support assessed by the SVEST-E, institutional support had the lowest average score, followed by supervisor support, while peer support was rated the highest. Conclusion: The experience of being a second victim is associated with greater burnout in healthcare personnel. These findings suggest strengthening institutional post-incident support strategies and addressing work-related factors, without inferring causality due to the cross-sectional design. Furthermore, the lower perceived institutional support suggests an opportunity to improve organizational responses following patient safety incidents.

Instituciones: Universidad Tecnológica del Perú; Universidad Peruana Los Andes