Disclosure: Dr. Allyn and Dr. Curry both work for Spectrum Healthcare Partners, which markets FIDES, a QI product. There are no other disclosures.
“Culture of safety” is the latest jargon for what we’ve always wanted in the O.R.: a cohesive and respectful team focused on the well-being of the patient. For years, we thought culture was a fuzzy and undefinable topic, even though we were immersed in it every day. At times, we experienced and tolerated a toxic culture in O.R.s, not fully understanding that when sustained and unchecked, this toxic culture affected both patient safety and provider wellness. At the start of 2015, our department felt solid: we were focused on managing steadily increasing clinical demands, and our CRNA and anesthesiologist groups continued to have excellent recruiting success. All seemed well until a disruption demonstrated that it wasn’t. The disruption quickly and painfully fractured our culture. In responding,...
