Providing support to second victims in workplaces is crucial for maintaining high-quality performance. Peer support approach has proven to be one of the most effective and well-accepted approaches. However, the specific competencies required for peer supporters remain unclear. This review aims to address this gap by identifying and categorising these competencies.

This scoping review examines the competencies (skills, attitudes and knowledge) needed to support workers where the pressure of their roles may lead to errors that could cause harm to others. In such situations, these individuals may experience intense feelings of responsibility, potentially impacting their ability to perform their duties. In the healthcare sector, these workers are commonly referred to as ‘second victims’.

This review includes studies that define the competencies necessary for peer supporters assisting second victims in any industry. It covers all professional roles susceptible to human errors affecting people’s well-being. The focus is on peer support and psychological first aid, encompassing relevant competencies, attitudes and knowledge for addressing safety-related incidents and workplace errors.

The scoping review was conducted following Arksey and O’Malley’s framework and the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews guidelines. Studies were identified through a comprehensive search of databases, including Embase, ProQuest, PsycINFO, PubMed, Scopus and Web of Science. References from eligible studies were also considered.

Data were extracted and categorised into competency domains through a standardised process. Two reviewers independently performed data extraction, with discrepancies resolved by consensus.

A total of 34 studies were included in the review. Across five identified domains, 91 specific and 30 general competencies were categorised. Additionally, the review identified 29 types of peer-based interventions designed to support professionals following incidents or stressful situations.

The findings underscore the need for well-defined competencies for peer supporters of second victims, emphasising training in communication, emotional support and role-specific knowledge. Tailoring peer support programmes to the professional context and industry-specific characteristics is essential for providing effective assistance.

Updated primary prevention strategies are needed for post-infarction sudden cardiac death (SCD) based on implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD). Current recommendations, based on left ventricular systolic function and functional class, may be obsolete because they are derived from ancient studies that do not incorporate the potential benefit of either current comprehensive treatment of ischaemic heart disease or modern device programming. Among patients with post-infarction left ventricular dysfunction, modern implantable cardiac monitoring devices (ICM) allow a unique opportunity to determine in real-time the burden of non-sustained ventricular tachycardias and their relationship to the subsequent occurrence of sustained or symptomatic events.

Approximately 200 patients with left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) equal to or less than 40% after acute myocardial infarction will be included in the study. They will be implanted with a Confirm RX, an ICM with real-time remote connection via a smartphone. At 6 months, LVEF and functional status will be re-evaluated and cardiac morpho-functional characterisation will be performed by MRI. At this time, and following current European guidelines, patients with an indication will receive an ICD; the others will continue to be monitored using an ICM for a minimum of 2 years. Patients are expected to be followed up for 4 years after the index event. More than 20 000 remote transmissions are expected to be analysed. The study will focus on the relationship between the detection of non-sustained ventricular tachycardias by ICMs (defined as at least 8 R-R intervals at 160 beats per minute) and the subsequent occurrence of symptomatic arrhythmic events. An advanced statistical analysis will be performed using machine and deep learning techniques to determine the clinical variables, those that are derived from monitoring and imaging tests and related to mid-term prognosis.

The study was approved by the Ethical Committee of the University Hospital of Salamanca (protocol number PI 2019 03 246) on 30 April 2020. Each patient will be informed about the study in both oral and written form by a physician and will be included in the study after written consent is obtained.

For the first time, a study will provide real-time information on the arrhythmic burden of patients with post-infarction ventricular dysfunction and its prognostic implications in the medium term. Several publications in scientific journals are planned.

NCT04765943.