Stress Experiences and Support Needs of Nurses in Patient Safety Incidents: A Phenomenological Qualitative Study

Purpose: To explore nurses’ stress experiences, sources of stress, and support needs during patient safety incidents, and to propose tailored management strategies. Methods: Guided by Perceived Organizational Support Theory and the Dynamic Model of Work Stress, a phenomenological qualitative design was used in this study. Using purposive sampling, we recruited nurses who had directly experienced patient safety incidents (as second victims) from a tertiary hospital in Jiangsu Province, China, between June 10 and July 15, 2025. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and analyzed with Colaizzi’s seven-step method. Results: Four core themes and twelve subthemes were identified: (1) multidimensional experiences triggered by incidents; (2) multiple sources of stress; (3) diverse pathways of support; and (4) reflections and suggestions for organizational mechanisms. Nurses described a substantial emotional and bodily burden as second victims. Stressors arose from the interplay of individual psychological conflict, interpersonal pressures, and organizational burdens. Perceived organizational support—such as managers’ protective communication, colleagues’ empathy, and interprofessional collaboration—buffered distress and facilitated recovery; when support was absent or unsystematic, nurses often relied on self-regulation and time to cope. Conclusion: Nurses’ experiences during patient safety incidents were multidimensional, involving psychological, physiological, and occupational stress shaped by individual, organizational, and social factors. Findings emphasize the need for support interventions tailored to stress sources and nurses’ actual needs to reduce stress and enhance care quality and patient safety. Keywords: patient safety, nurses, second victim, organizational support, qualitative research