Resources

Things to Consider

Peer support: Healthcare professionals supporting each other after adverse medical events   Research Story

This article is about the journey to create a peer support program at Brigham and Women's Hospital in 2005 with a multidisciplinary advisory group. Read the article

Clinician and staff surveys   TOOL

• Comprehensive survey tool for clinicians and staff
  Use this survey to assess the support mechanisms currently in place at your institution for staff involved in or affected by serious adverse patient events.
• Organizational assessment tool
  A one-page quick assessment for an organization to get a bird’s eye view of where they are.
• Surveys on Patient Safety Culture (SOPS) Hospital Survey
  Hundreds of hospitals across the United States use this free and reliable survey from the federal Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) to assess patient safety culture in their hospitals.

Survey staff before implementation for a baseline to compare after the program is in place. You may want to add your own questions, like these from the University of Missouri Health Systems.

Examples of peer support programs  TOOL

• forYOU Team, University of Missouri Health System
• Office of Clinician Support, Boston Children’s Hospital
• Peer support, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
• RISE (Resilience In Stressful Events), Johns Hopkins Hospital
  • Watch the video: Peer Support for Caregivers in Distress

What support program will work in your organization? Use these examples from several organizations to help guide your decision.

List of things to consider for the advisory group  TOOL

Use this list to begin discussions within your advisory group. Read the list

“Healing the Healer” documentary  STORY

This dramatic film from CRICO exposes the painful impact on clinicians when patient care goes awry, along with support programs being implemented to help them cope.

• Buy the film on DVD
• Watch the YouTube clip

Play the 20-minute film at a grandrounds to get the conversation started. It is heavily physician-focused. The two-minute clip on YouTube is free and useful for shorter presentations.