Time for Systematic Implementation of Emergency Manuals in Perioperative Settings?

​Anesthesia professionals and other members of the perioperative care team need to move toward acceptance of cognitive aids and away from traditional reliance on memory, said an article in the February 2016 APSF Newsletter, the official journal of the Anesthesia Patient Safety Foundation. The authors said the traditional reliance on memory and the cultural perception of individual perfection among professionals must be amended, because "human memory is limited and fallible," especially in high-stress situations. The authors said that a combination of memory and tools such as emergency manuals and checklists may allow for optimal outcomes. The pros and cons of electronic and paper manuals were discussed at a workshop hosted by APSF.