For all Risk Managers there is a must see Horizon TV program (http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01rhfmg - March 21 2013 – A Medical “Fix”)
Most Risk professionals tend to regard “checklists” as the minimum acceptable response suitable for primary school teachers on field trips (– I exaggerate!) Now this program highlights the fact that the mere Introduction of “Flight Checklists” as in the Aviation sector has revolutionized NHS (UK National Health Service) statistics on death rates from surgery (30 – 50% decrease!)
Main reason given is that it applies the lessons from Stow’s UK Fire Service College on the importance of ”Situational Awareness” – (gas bottle BLEVE’s vs. casualty recovery)).
A more fundamental point was clearly that it allowed legitimate inputs from the Team bypassing the traditional autocracy of the medical profession.
It also helps explain why the Matron/ ward sister’s regime was so much better than the pseudo private sector structures we now have in place in the UK.
A further insightful example was that the adoption of “Formula 1 pit stop drills” also considerably improved patient transfers from Op Theater to IC Ward – again legitimizing team roles with a Team leader vs. Dictator and (Team Players) individual responsibilities for key actions/processes! (There must be military parallels?)
All of this reduces stress and allows “situational Awareness” i.e. not having to concentrate so much on the nitty gritty because we have well practiced routines, drills, roles and accepted status, expertise, right to be a recognized contributor (Self esteem/ confidence).
All this showed the need to address the human factor in (emergency) management, not as inanimate dumb pieces of equipment with reliability numbers, but “People” who can make literally the difference between life and Death!
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