Psychological Consequences of Second Victims and Coping Strategies in Ghana

Abstract

The study investigated healthcare providers‘ experiences of adverse events and the coping strategies adopted to deal with these experiences. The study employed the descriptive cross-sectional survey research design in engaging healthcare providers of two hospitals namely, the Ghana Police Hospital and the Holy Family Hospital in Greater Accra and Bono East Regions respectively. In all, 200 healthcare professionals were conveniently sampled from the total population of 423 healthcare professionals who were targeted for the study. Questionnaire was used in gathering data from respondents. Data were analysed using frequencies and percentages, means and standard deviations, multiple regression and one-way ANOVA. It came out that there was a significant relationship between level of patient adverse outcome and their psychological and physical distress. Again, the study found out that second victims used both problem and emotional focused coping mechanism to deal with the effects of adverse patients‘ outcomes. Social support, more particularly colleagues‘ support, had a significant impact on the psychological and physical distress of second victims. Finally, coping strategies (problem focused disengagement) significantly impacted the psychological and physical distress of second victims. The study concluded that following an adverse medical outcome, second victims experience both psychological and physical distress and that means of coping has impact on the wellbeing of healthcare providers involved in adverse medical errors. The management of Ghana Police Hospital and Holy Family Hospital are encouraged to provide the necessary environment and training for staff to cope with second victim syndrome