Second victim experiences and perceived support among newly registered nurses following patient safety incidents: a cross-sectional study.

AIMS: This study aimed to explore the second victim experiences of newly registered nurses (NRNs) and assess the roles of professional identity and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms in influencing their distress and perceived support.

METHODS

An online questionnaire was used to collect demographic information, Second Victim Experience and Support Tool scores, Professional Identity Scale scores, and PTSD Symptom Scale scores. Data were analyzed using independent t-tests, ANOVA, Pearson's correlation, and multiple linear regression. A significance level of p < 0.05 was applied.

RESULTS

No significant differences were observed in total Chinese version of the Second Victim Experience and Support Tool (C-SVEST) scores across demographic or clinical variables. However, multiple factors were associated with specific dimensions of second victim experiences. Educational background, years of experience, type of incident, and perceived responsibility were all significantly associated with subscale-level variations in distress and perceived support. Professional identity was associated with lower levels of work-related distress and higher levels of perceived support, whereas PTSD symptoms were associated with increased distress and reduced support. Regression analyses indicated that professional identity predicted lower levels of practice distress and higher levels of non-work-related support, while PTSD symptoms were significant predictors of physical distress and reduced support.

CONCLUSION

This study highlights the multidimensional nature of second victim experiences among newly registered nurses following patient safety incidents. PTSD symptoms were associated with increased distress and reduced perceived support, whereas professional identity was associated with lower levels of practice-related distress and higher levels of perceived non-work-related support. These findings highlight the need to strengthen trauma-informed organizational support and to foster professional identity, aiming to improve coping mechanisms and support for nurses who experience second victim events.