6 ms·
In my experience, in an unrelated field, most human errors are actually a cumulation of other systematic errors. Pilots are responsible for safety, sure, but t
by CaptSpify 11y ago
In my experience, in an unrelated field, most human errors are actually a cumulation of other systematic errors.
Pilots are responsible for safety, sure, but there are multiple checks in case the pilot suddenly passes out (or stops paying attention, or whatever). Control towers, copilots, etc.
I know nothing of anesthesiology, but it seems to me that a doctor shouldn't be a single point-of-failure. If he is, it seems like that should fall under systematic-errors.
- solipsism 11y agoWhat a great point. Raver kids have quick and easy litmus tests they can use to make sure the illegal drugs they're taking are the ones they expect to be taking. If it turns blue, you take it. If it doesn't, you don't. It seems the procedure for injecting medicine into your spine should have at least as much fail-safety built in.
- dawnerd 11y agoIn cases of wrong medication, I wonder if its a mislabeling or someone just not reading? Maybe a doctor writing the wrong thing down?
- crpatino 11y agoYou are missing the forest by looking at the trees. You need a foolproof way to determine 2 tests: 1. Is the contents of the bottle what I think (or the label says, or the nurse told me) it is? 2. Is the verified contest of the bottle what we previously agreed this patient needs?
- Mz 11y agoIn medicine, one big thing is people working long hours, exhausted. My understanding is that airline personnel have strict rules about this. I have long thought medicine should seriously tighten up on making sure medical personnel are adequately well rested instead of insisting that residents work 36 hours straight and things like that.
- PeterisP 11y agoWe allow doctors to cut into other people in the same circumstances in which we (at least in EU) forbid a truck driver to drive because he's a danger to others because of insufficient rest.
- usrusr 11y agoWorst case scenario for the surgeon is a single death, worst case scenario for the truck driver is dozens. Better stay out of hospitals...
- Dove 11y agoThere is a tradeoff, though. A doctor once explained to me that she did 24 hour shifts to minimize the mistakes that can occur when handing a complicated case off to someone else.
- thfuran 10y agoI think that sort of thing accounts for an extremely tiny minority of too-long shifts in the medical industry.