Aviation, Healthcare & Human Factors

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.

• 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.