Tasks

There are a myriad of tasks involved in the provision of healthcare. These range from practical tasks such as taking blood or performing a surgical procedure to communication elements such as taking consent or consoling a relative. Other background tasks include cleaning and sterilisation procedures or IT maintenance. Each contributes to overall safe care.

In addition to the tasks themselves, the SEIPS model encourages consideration of how these tasks are performed, how they are aligned to specific roles, and with what level of autonomy and safety controls. Additionally, we need to consider human performance limitations (workload, stress, fatigue, attention, and distraction) that can introduce vulnerabilities to task performance.

Activity

Training and Development

Through training courses, the College influences task performance in the workplace. Courses are designed to instil safe, competent performance across all aspects of practice; from assessing an unwell patient, to safe introduction of laparoscopic ports, and free flap transfer. RCSEd has developed the ICONS course to provide much-needed training to healthcare professionals in obtaining appropriate informed consent for procedures. The Shine Ward Round Tool Kit was developed by the College to help reduce errors and improve safety on surgical wards. The Faculty of Pre-Hospital care has produced manuals on immediate care and provided guidance for Police Officers in specialist frontline roles. The Faculty produces consensus statements on the management of pre-hospital conditions such as burns, traumatic cardiac arrest, and obstetric emergencies.

Human Performance Impacts

Aligned to task performance is the understanding of human performance limitation and particularly the impact of stress, fatigue, hunger, and rudeness. Individual/team strategies to minimise the impact of these elements are explored through the suite of non-technical skill resources and courses.

Closely aligned to rudeness in the workplace; bullying has been addressed through national collaborative programmes with dedicated resources free to all accessible via the website. RCSEd continues to collaborate with partners including the Royal College of Anaesthetists, GMC, and government to help address these issues at a systemic level.