Second Victim Syndrome Lacks Awareness of Support

Background: The specialty of oral and maxillofacial surgery comes with pressure and responsibility. Those involved in the delivery of care, despite their best efforts, may also experience adverse events (AEs) in which there is patient harm. The concept of the “second victim syndrome” (SVS) is not intended to minimize the harm experienced by the patient and their family, but to understand that the practitioner/health care team may experience emotional and physical sequalae because of the event. Objective: To assess the British Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery’s (BAOMS) residents’ understanding of SVS. Methods: BAOMS resident members were surveyed to assess their understanding of SVS. Results: Data were analyzed from 97 responses; 24% were aware of SVS. After SVS was defined, 80% believed they had encountered such. Of respondents, >50% were unaware of local support for SVS. Conclusions: A high percentage of BAOMS residents may have suffered from SVS more...