Work

Psychological, physical, and professional impact on second victims in veterinary anaesthesia: a cross-sectional international survey - Part 1

Year: 2024

Type: article

Abstract: OBJECTIVE: To investigate the psychological, physical and professional impact of veterinary patient safety incidents (PSIs) on veterinary anaesthesia professionals. STUDY DESIGN: We conducted an observational cross-sectional survey, inviting veterinary anaesthesiologists, anaesthesiologists in training and veterinary nurses/technicians through social media platforms from 2 June 2023 to 20 September, 2023. The questionnaire was based on Second Victim Experience and Support Survey (SVEST) and analysed using descriptive statistics and subscale scoring to assess psychological, physical and professional impacts. RESULTS: A total of 303 participants from 31 countries responded, including North (24%), Central (13.5%) and South America (25%), Europe (13.5%), UK (12.5%), Australia/New Zealand (8.1%) and Asia/Middle East (3.3%). A participation rate cannot be estimated. All respondents described themselves as second victims, with 70% encountering a PSI in the past 6 months. Of the 303 participants, 75% had direct involvement with the incident. Common post-incident challenges included an increased awareness for PSIs (67.1%), fear of new PSIs (62.7%), diminished confidence (56.1%), more defensive medicine practice (46.7%) and sleep disorders (43.3%). Additionally, 62.7% agreed or strongly agreed that they experienced embarrassment post-incident. After a PSI, approximately 69% of the participants reported feeling inadequate in their animal care abilities, and a similar percentage questioned their professional competence. Over half of the respondents (54.6%) became fearful of undertaking high-risk procedures. Approximately 38% of respondents considered leaving the field of anaesthesia, and over 56% harboured thoughts of leaving their job because of the stress from PSIs. Additionally, a significant proportion (69.8%) reported not taking time off work following PSIs. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: The study identifies a significant psychological, physical and professional impact on the surveyed veterinary anaesthesia professionals, with notable effects on their emotional well-being and professional self-efficacy. The findings emphasize the need for supportive measures and interventions to mitigate the adverse effects experienced by these individuals.

Source: Veterinary Anaesthesia and Analgesia

DOI: 10.1016/j.vaa.2024.10.140

Authors: Luiz C.P. Santos, Michelle McArthur, Nigel Perkins, Wendy Goodwin

Institutions: The University of Queensland, University of Glasgow, The University of Adelaide

Language: English

Topic: Patient Safety and Medication Errors

Subfield: Emergency Medical Services

Field: Health Professions

Domain: Health Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $3,000