Phelps Health’s Employee Support Team: forYOU
The forYOU Team is a multidisciplinary group of Phelps Health employees who have been selected and trained in crisis support and stress management. A member of the forYOU Team is available to employees who need support and guidance while experiencing a normal reaction to a stressful event or outcome, also called the second victim phenomenon or syndrome.
The forYOU Team raises awareness of this syndrome and offers consistent, system-wide support. The team also provides additional resources to help management teams effectively support these victims.
The forYOU Team will:
- Provide emotional first aid to our staff who have been involved in unanticipated or stressful events
- Provide one-on-one or group peer support and explore the staff member’s normal reactions and feelings that often occur after a stressful or traumatic event
- Provide the second victim with a safe zone to express thoughts and reactions to enhance coping
- Provide the employee assurance that they are experiencing a normal reaction
- Ensure that information shared is strictly confidential
Referral forms can be emailed to foryou@phelpshealth.org or submitted electronically here.
This program has been adapted from MU Health Care.
What is a second victim?
Second victims are healthcare providers who are involved in an unanticipated adverse patient event, medical error and/or a patient related injury and become victimized in the sense that the provider is traumatized by the event.
SECOND VICTIMS OFTEN:
- Feel personally responsible for the unexpected patient outcomes
- Feel as though they have failed the patient
- Second-guess their clinical skills
- Second-guess their knowledge base
Common reactions to a stressful event include the following:
- Sleep and/or eating disturbance
- Difficulty concentrating
- Headache
- Fatigue
- Diarrhea
- Nausea or vomiting
- Rapid heart rate and/or breathing
- Muscle tension
Psychological symptoms associated with second victim include the following:
- Isolation
- Frustration
- Fear
- Grief and remorse
- Feeling uncomfortable returning to work
- Anger and irritability
- Depression and/or extreme sadness
- Self-doubt
- Flashbacks
- Poor attention span after a stressful clinical event
Positive ways to cope with stress include the following:
- Remind yourself that is it is OK to experience some expected reactions to a stressful event.
- Give yourself permission to react; don’t try to hide your feelings.
- Keep your life as routine as possible.
- Eat regularly. Minimize the use of sugar and caffeine.
- Physical exercise, along with relaxation, will alleviate some physical reactions to stress.
- Avoid alcohol and drug use.
- Do something nice for yourself!
