Key factors for effective implementation of healthcare workers support interventions in health organisations after patient safety incidents: a protocol for a scoping review
Authors: Paiva Sofia Guerra , Lobão Maria João , Simões João Diogo , Donato Helena , Joaquin Mira José , Carrillo Irene , Sousa Paulo 
Published: January 2022

Introduction

Health organisations should support healthcare workers who are physically and psychologically affected by patient safety incidents (second victims). There is a growing body of evidence which focusses on second victim support interventions. However, there is still limited research on the elements necessary to effectively implement and ensure the sustainability of these types of interventions. In this study, we propose to map and frame the key factors which underlie an effective implementation of healthcare worker support interventions in healthcare organisations when healthcare workers are physically and/or emotionally affected by patient safety incidents.

Methods and analysis

This scoping review will be guided by the established methodological Arksey and O’Malley framework, Levac and Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) recommendations. We will follow the JBI three-step process: (1) a preliminary search conducted on two databases; (2) the definition of clear inclusion criteria and the creation of a list of search terms to be used in the subsequent running of the search on a larger number of databases; and (3) additional searches (cross-checking/cross-referencing of reference lists of eligible studies, hand-searching in target journals relevant to the topic, conference proceedings, institutional/organisational websites and networks repositories). We will undertake a comprehensive search strategy in relevant bibliographic databases (Pubmed/Medline, Embase, CINHAL, Web of Science, Scopus, PsycInfo, Epistemonikos, Scielo, Cochrane Library and Open Grey). We will use the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool (MMAT) 2018 version for quality assessment of the eligible studies. Our scoping review will be guided by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR).

Ethics and dissemination

This study will not require ethical approval. Results of the scoping review will be published in a peer-review journal and findings will be presented in scientific conferences as well as in international forums and other relevant dissemination channels.

This protocol is registered on the Open Science Framework (www.osf.io): 10.17605/OSF.IO/WZSE9

Strengths and limitations of this study

To our knowledge, this is the first scoping review to map and frame the different organisational, operational and contextual factors which underlie the implementation of health worker support programmes after the occurrence of a patient safety incident.

This scoping review uses a rigorous and transparent method for mapping the available evidence.

Given the broad focus of this scoping review, we don’t expect that eligible studies will show a direct relation between the key factors and the effectiveness of the implementation of the support interventions.

For better interpretation of the results, we will provide a quality assessment of the included studies, although quality assessment is not mandatory to include in scoping reviews.

We will involve key stakeholders as an additional source of information to complement the literature search.