A big part of being a pilot is essentially doing what you are told...by a checklist. This practice has been a standard part of aircraft operation for decades, and even
adopted by the medical industry to improve outcomes for surgical patients.
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| #cockpitselfie |
As a pilot we use checklists to ensure safety throughout all the various phases of operation. Here are four reasons I think we should all adopt a checklist approach in some aspect of life:
1. It standardizes assumed practices which can dramatically improve results
Checklists were widely adopted in the medical field after
Dr. Pronovost borrowed the concept from
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Dr. Peter Pronovost,
John Hopkins Medical Center |
the aviation industry for an experiment. In 2001, he used it to address a common problem of infection occurring in patients with central IV lines. At the time, it was common for 1 in 9 lines to become infected which just added on to a patient's problems.
This doctor created a simple
5 step checklist that medical personel were required to follow when inserting the lines: (1) wash hands with soap, (2) clean the patient's skin with antiseptic, (3) cover the patient's entire body with sterile drapes, (4) wear sterile mask, hat, gown and gloves, and (5) put a sterile dressing over the insertion site.
What is so impactful about all this is that we all KNOW (and especially the doctors) that these practices are good, but the research revealed that the actual behavior of the medical professionals was inconsistent: revealing that at least one of these steps were being skipped. What would happen if they never missed a step?
STAY WITH ME...After one year of maintaining these practices,
the infection rate dropped from 11% to ZERO. Two years later, they calculated that "it had prevented 43 infections, avoided 8 ICU deaths and saved the hospital approximately $2 million."
Short story: it works.
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| My Overnight Checklist |
2. It minimizes the emotional component of decision-making
I have adopted a checklist approach to my overnights. Given that a majority of my month is spent sleeping in a hotel, I knew I needed to kick off this new lifestyle with some healthy patterns after I found myself resorting to a heavy stream of cable TV.
After a long day of work, I would arrive at my hotel room and be seduced by the comfort of a clean bed and seemingly endless channels of sports and movies that I can't afford to watch until they're released on Netflix three years later.
When I reflected on this behavior, I decided to create this checklist in order to make better use of time. Now when I get to my hotel room I don't operate based on the question... "What do I feel like doing?" (Because it's typically... watch HBO...which I still do! But after I've done some other stuff).
3. You literally become more productive
With my new checklist, I am able to accomplish so much more. I do all my Computer-Based Training (a job requirement that cannot be done in-flight) while away from home so that I don't have to use my time at home with my family to do more work. I have time to look at the budget and am more aware than ever of how we are stewarding our finances. I actually exercise again. Overall, I'd say it's a great way to build habits. Instead of drinking from a firehose, procrastinating, or neglecting to do certain things that I know contribute positively to my life, this checklist aids me in my discipline.
4. It boosts motivation
There's nothing like checking off something you've accomplished to propel you forward. After I update my logbook and accomplish a good work out, I find myself encouraged and happier about how I have spent my time... these feelings just make doing the next thing more enticing.
A Few Sidenotes
I think that for those who appreciate order, there is comfort in a checklist... and for those who default to disorder...it provides a method to accomplish things in a society that highly values productivity.
Other checklists I've thought of creating/implementing relate to parenting. I have a spunky toddler that could really benefit from
a visual checklist of ways to help at home/learn responsibilities.
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| Time for a toddler checklist at home I think! |
Even Santa uses a list, and checks it twice!
Have you ever used a checklist before? In what aspect of your life? What kind of affect did it have? What could you make a checklist for now?
