27 | The Second Victim Phenomenon – Building Resiliency in Nursing with Dr. Marthe Leveille

In this powerful installment of Nursing Insights, we delve into the often-overlooked emotional toll on healthcare providers known as the Second Victim Phenomenon. Through a candid conversation with Dr. Marthe Leveille, MSN, RN, CPHQ, we explore the internal struggles nurses experience after adverse patient events – ranging from guilt and anxiety to moral injury and burnout.

In this episode, Dr. Leveille shares the ground-breaking pilot of a peer-support program in adult ICUs, inspired by the Scott Three-Tiered Interventional Model. Learn how 24/7 support lines, monthly debriefing sessions, and structured leadership involvement resulted in meaningful improvements in staff well‑being, retention, and organizational culture. We also discuss how these strategies bolster resilience – not just surviving the trauma, but transforming it into an opportunity for collective growth and stronger patient care.

This conversation is essential for nurses, healthcare leaders, and educators aiming to build sustainable support systems that safeguard both the caregivers and the cared‑for.

You should listen if you’re a nurse or healthcare leader seeking evidence-based ways to support staff emotionally after traumatic events. Or simply just interested in building resilient healthcare teams through structured peer-support and debriefing systems.

Key Takeaways

• Recognizing "Second Victims"
  Understanding how healthcare staff – even those not directly at fault – can suffer deep emotional wounds after clinical events.
• Peer-Support in Action
  Launching a Tier‑1 peer-support system led to measurable improvements in emotional recovery and workforce retention in ICUs.
• The Power of Debriefing
  Monthly, structured group sessions offer a safe space for emotional processing, moral clarity, and team solidarity.
• Leadership Is Crucial
  Nurse leaders play a critical role in embedding a "just culture" and championing emotional resilience infrastructure.
• Evidence-Based Outcomes
  Programs like this not only uplift staff morale but also show real value – enhancing culture, reducing absenteeism, and supporting retention.

Links & Further Reading

• “Implementation of a Second Victim Program”  
  Poster by Marthe Leveille et al., illustrating the ICU pilot peer‑support initiative nursing.rutgers.edu
• “Reflective Debriefing to Address Moral Distress among ICU Nurses”
  A study on structured debriefing protocols that align with Dr. Leveille’s approach researchgate.net
• Learn more about the New Jersey Collaborating Center for Nursing
  https://www.njccn.org
• Attend NJNew Virtual Schwartz Rounds
  https://njnew.org/programs/virtual-schwartz-rounds/
• Learn more about Healthy Nurse Healthy Nation.
  https://www.healthynursehealthynation.org/