Skip main navigation

Aviation, Healthcare & Human Factors

This section will introduce seven human factors principles relevant to a patient transfer scenario.
A plane flying in the air with a list of the 6 key elements of aviation human factors. 1. Team situational awareness, 2 Checklist usage, 3 Communication, 4 Leadership vs followership 5 pre-briefing 6 Dynamic decision-making 7 the debrief
What does a patient transfer have in common with aviation?…

Similarly to transferring a patient, a passenger flight involves multiple team members interacting on a tight timescale, using complex machinery and technology, all whilst operating in a dynamic environment.
  • Aviation has spent decades researching the psychology of airline crew and how they react in both planned and unplanned scenarios, resulting in the development of a detailed set of core pilot competencies.
  • With the combined experience of over 125 clinical in situ simulation observations, Human Factors trainers and experienced airline pilots Captain Dave Fielding and Captain Alex Jolly of WingFactors have teamed up with University College London Hospital to examine the parallels between a critical patient transfer and a typical scheduled passenger flight.
  • We’ll do this by taking an imaginary flight into London Gatwick and examining 7 key human factors topics raised at various stages of the flight. The aim is to compare and contrast, highlighting relevant non-technical competencies common to both industries, to assist in the safe outcomes of critical transfers.
Picture shows a wingfactors pilot observing a simulated medical scenario. Medical team is in PPE surrounding a manikin wearing a CPAP mask.
  • Through observation, the 7 key topics WingFactors have identified are:
1. Situational & Team Awareness
2. Leadership
3. Checklists
4. Teamwork & SOPs
5. Debriefing
6. Communication
7. Decision-Making
  • Each of these focus areas are explored in detail throughout the MOOC, with each video starting with Dr Arndt Melzer and WingFactors pilots discussing the challenges and parallels between a flight and a patient transfer, as well as how specific behaviours can improve outcomes.
  • We’ll be asking a handful of interactive questions that make you consider how the flight crew behaviours in each video might impact a patient transfer.
  • Armed with the Human Factors ‘SHELL model’ from before, we invite you after each video to share your thoughts and ask questions of the WingFactors team and MOOC educators in the comments section.
© UCL
This article is from the free online

A Journey Through Transfer Medicine

Created by
FutureLearn - Learning For Life

Reach your personal and professional goals

Unlock access to hundreds of expert online courses and degrees from top universities and educators to gain accredited qualifications and professional CV-building certificates.

Join over 18 million learners to launch, switch or build upon your career, all at your own pace, across a wide range of topic areas.

Start Learning now