Theatre Checklists

KNOW, MODIFY and OPTIMISE
THE ENVIRONMENT
ANTICIPATE and
PLAN FOR A CRISIS
ENSURE LEADERSHIP and
ROLE CLARITY
COMMUNICATE
EFFECTIVELY
CALL FOR HELP or
SECOND OPINION EARLY
ALLOCATE ATTENTION and
USE AVAILABLE INFORMATION
DISTRIBUTE WORKLOAD and
USE AVAILABLE RESOURCES
establish protocols and procedures
ensure room set up is conducive to crisis - layout, equipment etc
how can things be improved (this includes equipment)
patient - procedure - equipment - drugs - personnel - retrieval
- global plans
- specific plans
assign leader
preferably not responsible for tasks ie: has an overview of the situation
leader decides, prioritises and assigns tasks to team
leadership and followrship aided by clear communication
eye contact, use names, clear instructions, ensure understanding and report back
close the loop - upstream/downstream communication
call for help early - even if not in a crisis
second opinion may be reassurance enough or suggest alternatives
avoid therapeutic inertia
fixation errors common
beware attentional tunnelling / situational overload
if you are stressed you are likely to be missing something
maintain situational awareness
delegate tasks, use external resources (telemedicine/retrieval)
if all else fails, think laterally - improvise/adapt/overcome
PRINCIPLES OF CRISIS MANAGEMENT