Personal resilience, good leadership, and a psychologically safe culture play a mitigating role on the impact of patient safety events.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To assess the impact of patient safety events on veterinary professionals and identify factors influencing their responses. METHODS: This was an experimental study, wherein a total of 2,182 veterinary professionals in the US, including veterinarians, technicians, assistants, client service providers, and managers/directors, were given an anonymous online survey utilizing the Second Victim Experience and Support Tool, Brief Resilience Scale, and Team Psychological Safety Scale. RESULTS: The majority of participants reported having experienced at least 1 patient safety event within the last 12 months. This number was highest for veterinarians (79%), followed by managers/directors (74%) and veterinary technicians (67%). Approximately 50% of veterinarians, veterinary technicians, and veterinary assistants who reported being involved in a patient safety event indicated at least 1 of these events caused serious harm. The majority of those involved in a patient safety event reported that they talked to their supervisor about the incident (79% of veterinarians, 83% of veterinary technicians, and 83% of veterinary assistants). The most desired types of support participants wanted after a patient safety event included access to a respected peer to discuss the details of what happened (71%), a specified peaceful location available to recover and recompose (64%), and an employee assistance program that provides free counseling (61%). CONCLUSIONS: Patient safety events significantly impacted veterinary professionals' well-being and career intentions. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Enhancing personal resilience, developing and promoting transformational leadership training programs, and fostering a psychologically safe team culture can mitigate negative effects and improve overall patient safety.