Critical Care at 28,000 Feet: Lessons in High Stress-Medical Leadership
What happens when an elite multidisciplinary medical team faces task saturation and cognitive overload? U.S. Air Force Critical Care Air Transport (CCAT) teams, composed of a physician, nurse, and respiratory therapist, are responsible for transporting critically ill military members from forward operating environments to definitive care hospitals. Despite challenging conditions, they maintain an impressive 98% survival rate. These teams are a microcosm of the emergency department, offering valuable insights into ED team dynamics. In this session, we’ll discuss how military team performance research applies to emergency department teams, focusing on stress, cognitive overload, and strategies to optimize team effectiveness and patient care.
Learning Objectives:
- recognize and respond to cognitive overload in themself and others
- pre-plan task and communication expectations for periods of high stress
- create a shared mental model of patient care priorities
Presenter:
- Sarah H. Michael, DO, MS
-
Sarah H. Michael, DO, MS
University of Colorado, Denver
Dr. Michael is a fellowship-trained education scientist with expertise in curriculum development and the novel utilization of technology in medical education. Her research interests include nontechnical skills training and assessments. She directs a fellowship in medical education science at the Univeristy of Colorado.