Cookies on this website

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you click 'Accept all cookies' we'll assume that you are happy to receive all cookies and you won't see this message again. If you click 'Reject all non-essential cookies' only necessary cookies providing core functionality such as security, network management, and accessibility will be enabled. Click 'Find out more' for information on how to change your cookie settings.

Human beings who work in complex, dynamic, and stressful situations make mistakes. This is as true for anaesthetists as for any other health-care professional, but we face unique challenges in the many roles and responsibilities we have in diverse clinical contexts. As a profession, we are well versed in the development and utilization of improvement techniques and technologies that prioritize high-quality, safe care for patients. This article focuses on one particular domain of patient safety in which anaesthetists have been pre-eminent, the use of simulation in training to improve both professional capabilities and patient safety in anaesthetic practice. This review considers the impact of error in health care; the role of anaesthetists in promoting simulation-based education for the development of clinical skills and improved teamwork; and their role in disseminating human factors and quality improvement science to enhance safety in the clinical workplace. Finally, we consider our position at the vanguard of developments in patient safety and how the profession should continue to pursue a leadership role in the application of simulation-based interventions to training and systems design across health care.

Original publication

DOI

10.1093/bja/aex302

Type

Journal article

Journal

Br J Anaesth

Publication Date

01/12/2017

Volume

119

Pages

i106 - i114

Keywords

anaesthesia, education, safety, Anesthesiology, Clinical Competence, Health Personnel, Humans, Medical Errors, Patient Care Team, Patient Safety, Patient Simulation