Hospital Peer-to-Peer Support

Health care providers face the stress of patient care every hour of every day, and in most cases they handle that stress well. But then there are those times when normal stress blows up into something potentially traumatic–the unexpected loss of a patient; a troubling encounter with a family member; even a run-in with a colleague over care management. At these times, otherwise steady professionals can become psychologically or emotionally devastated “second victims,” who could use prompt support from peers. Most hospitals and other health care facilities, however, do not have a support system in place, and without support, caregivers experience reduced productivity, increased self-doubt and, in some cases, long-term depression.