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

Safety culture

Building a culture of safety is essential for any successful staff support program

Leadership

Leadership buy-in

Engage leadership and make the case for a peer support program

Organizational Awareness

Organizational awareness

Awareness of the impact of medical errors and/or adverse events to clinicians and staff is critical

Advisory Committee

Formation of a multi-disciplinary advisory committee

Consider who should be part of the advisory group and what their role is

Risk Management

Risk management

Create protections for your program and connect it with other initiatives

Operational

Operations

Resources to implement peer support, recruit and screen supporters, and scale the program

Policies

Policies, procedures and practices

Develop a standardized response to adverse events in your organization

Training

Training of peer supporters

Use these materials to train new staff supporters

Communication

Communications plan

Creative ways to market your peer support program to clinicians and staff

Learning Improvement

Learning and improvement opportunities

Every program should include a feedback loop for continuous learning and improvement