This toolkit was created for health care organizations that want to do more to support clinicians and staff after difficult adverse events. Use these tools and the accompanying implementation guide to lay the foundation for a successful peer support program - from gaining leadership buy-in to creating policies and collecting data.
Core elements
Safety culture
Building a culture of safety is essential for any successful staff support program
Leadership buy-in
Engage leadership and make the case for a peer support program
Organizational awareness
Awareness of the impact of medical errors and/or adverse events to clinicians and staff is critical
Formation of a multi-disciplinary advisory committee
Consider who should be part of the advisory group and what their role is
Risk management
Create protections for your program and connect it with other initiatives
Operations
Resources to implement peer support, recruit and screen supporters, and scale the program
Policies, procedures and practices
Develop a standardized response to adverse events in your organization
Training of peer supporters
Use these materials to train new staff supporters
Communications plan
Creative ways to market your peer support program to clinicians and staff
Learning and improvement opportunities
Every program should include a feedback loop for continuous learning and improvement