Leadership factors affecting healthcare professionals as second victims in the hospital context: a scoping review protocol.

Abstract

Objective: The aim of this review is to map the leadership factors affecting health care professionals as second victims in the hospital context. Introduction: The term second victim refers to health care professionals who have been adversely affected by unanticipated patient events, unintentional medical errors, or patient injuries, thereby experiencing significant emotional and psychological impacts. Support from peers and leadership is crucial for recovery and fostering empathy and a culture of safety. Effective leadership promotes open communication and a culture of continuous learning, thereby enhancing staff well-being and patient safety. Eligibility criteria: We will include documents that discuss leadership factors affecting health care professionals as second victims in hospital settings. Methods: This review will follow JBI’s scoping review methodology. The following databases will be searched: PubMed, CINAHL (EBSCOhost), Scopus, ScienceDirect, and Embase (Ovid), alongside gray literature platforms such as Google Scholar, ProQuest Dissertations and Theses Global (ProQuest), the CAPES Catalog of Theses and Dissertations, and LILACS. Additionally, 15 websites of prominent health care institutions will be consulted. Data extraction will be performed in pairs with consensus rounds. Documents published in any language will be included, provided they were published from the year 2000 onward, as the term second victim was first introduced in the literature in that year. A descriptive analysis will be conducted to present the findings. Review registration: OSF https://osf.io/th5vp/