Citation

Vetrugno G, De-Giorgio F, Foti F. BMJ 2019; 365: l2160.

Affiliation

Risk Management Unit, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli-Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2019, BMJ Publishing Group)

DOI

10.1136/bmj.l2160

PMID

31101646

Abstract

Clarkson and colleagues ask healthcare professionals to stop calling themselves “second victims” in cases of medical harm.1 What does the word “victim” mean? It comes from “victus,” a Latin term that means “defeated” or “beaten.”

When medical harm occurs, healthcare professionals have fought a battle and lost. Patients are victims, but they are …

Language: en