Resilienzerhalt im Gesundheitswesen – vom „second victim“ zum „second coper“
摘要
On the one hand, healthcare workers are considered to be particularly resilient, yet on the other, they develop mental health disorders significantly more often than the general population. Resilience describes the ability to deal with stressors in a functional way—an ability that members of helping professions may initially possess but then lose over time. This question, and the finding behind it, make it clear that resilience in the clinical context must not be understood primarily as an individual trait but rather as a dynamic interplay between personal, team-related, and organizational resources. Against this background, the current article introduces the term Resilienzerhalt (resilience maintenance). It refers not only to strengthening an individual’s capacity to withstand stress but also to the systematic preservation of mental health under conditions in which serious events are unavoidable. Such events may turn healthcare providers into second victims and lead to substantial emotional stress reactions. Structural measures such as psychosocial support (PSU) play a key role in viewing resilience maintenance as an aspect of staff care and in supporting those affected in coping with serious or potentially traumatic events. In this way, the transition from second victim to second coper becomes possible—not through individual strength alone but through a caring workplace culture, team cohesion, and organizational responsibility for maintaining resilience.