Increased Risk of Burnout for Physicians and Nurses Involved in a Patient Safety Incident

Med Care. 2016 Oct;54(10):937-43. doi: 10.1097/MLR.0000000000000582.

Abstract

Background: Human errors occur everywhere, including in health care. Not only the patient, but also the involved health professional is affected (ie, the "second victim").

Objectives: To investigate the prevalence of health care professionals being personally involved in a patient safety incident (PSI), as well as the relationship of involvement and degree of harm with problematic medication use, excessive alcohol consumption, risk of burnout, work-home interference (WHI), and turnover intentions.

Research design: Multilevel path analyses were conducted to analyze cross-sectional survey data from 37 Belgian hospitals.

Subjects: A total of 5788 nurses (79.4%) and physicians (20.6%) in 26 acute and 11 psychiatric hospitals were included.

Measures: "Involvement in a patient safety incident during the prior 6 months," "degree of harm," and 5 outcomes were measured using self-report scales.

Results: Nine percent of the total sample had been involved in a PSI during the prior 6 months. Involvement in a PSI was related to a greater risk of burnout (β=0.40, OR=2.07), to problematic medication use (β=0.33, OR=1.84), to greater WHI (β=0.24), and to more turnover intentions (β=0.22). Harm to the patient was a predictor of problematic medication use (β=0.14, OR=1.56), risk of burnout (β=0.16, OR=1.62), and WHI (β=0.19).

Conclusions: Second victims experience significant negative outcomes in the aftermath of a PSI. An appropriate organizational response should be provided to mitigate the negative effects.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Burnout, Professional / epidemiology
  • Burnout, Professional / etiology*
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Job Satisfaction
  • Male
  • Medical Errors / adverse effects
  • Medical Errors / psychology*
  • Medical Errors / statistics & numerical data
  • Middle Aged
  • Nurses / psychology*
  • Nurses / statistics & numerical data
  • Patient Safety
  • Physicians / psychology*
  • Physicians / statistics & numerical data
  • Prevalence
  • Risk Factors
  • Surveys and Questionnaires
  • Young Adult