Simulation: A Key to Safety in Commercial Aviation and now in Healthcare

If you have kept up with my blog over the years, you’ll know I’ve referenced the commercial aviation industry in the past. I have done so because commercial aviation is a high-risk industry that healthcare is often compared to. It is an example of an industry that has learned from things that went wrong, made changes, and created standard work to ensure safety and prevent future harm. It’s a fabulous success story. The reduction in airline crashes has been dramatic. I remember Robert Hager, NBC’s last national aviation correspondent. When he retired in the early 2000’s, NBC eliminated his job because there were so few commercial aviation crashes. 

Recently, the story of one of our fabulous nurses quite literally intertwined healthcare with aviation. While on her way back from vacation on a flight from Ft. Lauderdale to Baltimore, GBMC nurse Emily Raines, RN, and her boyfriend Daniel Shifflett took quick action to perform CPR and save the life of a fellow passenger. You can read the full story of their heroic great save on several news outlets, including The Washington Post, WJZ, Yahoo, and WMAR.

I am proud of Emily, and I’m especially proud of our Nursing program. As cited in some of the articles, Emily attributed a portion of her ability to respond effectively to training through GBMC's Resuscitation Quality Improvement (RQI) program. The program delivers quarterly hands-on training to support mastery of high-quality CPR skills. Much like simulations practiced by pilots and co-pilots in the aviation industry, RQI training sessions allow clinicians to engage in hands-on simulated CPR practice with a manikin, while receiving real-time feedback from the system. Commercial pilots are required to practice at regular intervals in a simulator to assure that they know what to do during relatively uncommon flight conditions. Research has shown that CPR skills can begin to diminish three to six months following the previous standard training, which was only required every two years. So, our approach of utilizing technology with a more regular cadence of practice is critical.

I am so grateful that at GBMC we have nursing leaders who have designed a system that utilizes technology and standard work to ensure our clinicians are competent in their skills no matter where they are.  At GBMC, we are also fortunate to have our state-of-the-art Simulation Center that allows us to maintain this high standard of training. We do not rely on hard work and good intentions alone; we believe in designing systems to prevent harm and prepare for the unexpected. This helps to ensure that when a patient needs CPR, it is done correctly. This is the definition of high reliability.

Father’s Day 5K and 1-Mile Fun Walk

Our 35th Annual Father’s Day 5K and 1-Mile Fun Walk is being held on Sunday, June 18. This fundraising event benefits our Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), which cares for about 400 infants every year. We would love for you to join us for the event. You can register or donate by clicking here.

New this year is the Father’s Day 5K Fitness Frenzy Sweepstakes! This sweepstakes encourages the community and employees to improve their own health while also supporting the NICU. The winner will receive four tickets and a hotel stay to see their favorite baseball, football, hockey, or basketball team play anywhere in the country. 

There are two ways to win:

• Click here to log an activity every day through June 18 for one chance to win per day. Logging a daily activity is based on the honor system.
• Click here to register for the GBMC Father’s Day 5K and 1-Mile Fun Walk on June 18. By registering, you will earn 100 chances to win. Every additional donation of just $5 will earn you an extra 10 chances.

Thank you for your support of our NICU!