Abstract: Objective: To develop a peer support program for nurse second victims that can be routinely implemented in hospitals, evaluate its feasibility and effectiveness, aiming to provide a reference for improving nurses' mental health. Methods: From July to October 2024 at a tertiary grade A hospital in Changchun. Fifty-three nurses who experienced adverse events and voluntarily participated were randomly assigned to an intervention group (n=28) and a control group (n=25) using a random number table. Those in the control group received routine management only, while those in the intervention group received both routine management and the peer support program. The scores of the Second Victim Experience and Support Tool (SVEST), the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, the Self-Compassion Scale, and the Nurse Safety Behavior Scale were compared after intervention between the two groups. Results: At 30th day after the adverse event, the score of SVEST in the intervention group was 66.25±10.50, which was significantly lower than that of the control group (83.60±12.10), with a statistically significant difference (P<0.05). At the 90th day after the adverse event, the scores of the Self-Compassion Scale and the Nurse Safety Behavior Scale in the intervention group were significantly higher than those in the control group, with statistically significant differences (P<0.05). Conclusion: The peer support program can effectively alleviate psychological distress among nurse second victims and enhance their self-compassion and safety behavior.

Key words: second victim; peer support; post-traumatic growth; psychological recovery