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As Santa Claus prepares for the busiest 24 hours of his year, what skills does he use to do a seemingly impossible job effectively and safely, and can they be applied to medicine?
In the Christmas issue of The BMJ, two doctors reflect on the many lessons the medical profession can learn from Father Christmas, also known as Santa Claus.
Santa Claus is unique in having 364 days to prepare for an important job, stress surgeon Dr. Peter Brennan and radiologist Dr. Rachel Oeppen.
Still, they warn that staying awake for more than 18 hours “leads to impaired cognitive function similar to being twice the UK legal alcohol limit for driving.”
It is well known that regular breaks, as well as adequate hydration and nutrition while working out, are vital to maintaining performance and safety, they write.
As an effective team leader, Santa Claus makes sure his reindeer rest and eat while he delivers gifts, but how he manages to function safely remains a mystery given the usual glass of wine, sherry or spirits. that many leave him out. homes.
They suggest leaving a glass of water to counteract the physical and mental effects of fluid loss, especially if Santa Claus is wearing full personal protective equipment (PPE) this year (2020).
And instead of indulging in sugar-rich mince pies, they suggest that Santa Claus “might be better off eating the carrot sticks left for his reindeer.”
Santa Claus is to be commended for his exemplary commitment to checklists, but the authors note that his limited verbal communication skills (“ho ho ho”) could be improved.
With such a busy workload, high expectations, and the fear of widespread disappointment in the event of a mistake, the pressure on Santa Claus to provide superlative service must be immense, the authors say.
Good teamwork includes valuing all members, regardless of seniority, sled pairings, or characteristic traits like a shiny nose. – Filepic
However, they have no doubt that he appreciates the importance of maintaining good situational awareness, effective teamwork, and planning ahead, allowing him to think about the many “what ifs?” scenarios that could occur on Christmas Eve.
In this way, you avoid the likelihood of a “never again” Christmas event (a serious but avoidable incident), such as the wrongful delivery of stock.
And when something doesn’t seem quite right, Santa will instinctively know to stop the sleigh if it is safe to do so, back off, and reassess the situation with the whole team.
Although there is no evidence that he is involved in a formal team report, the authors say it would be naive to think that Santa Claus does not take this vital aspect of the job seriously, especially since his team works together infrequently.
Examples of good practice include agreeing on roles during a potential crisis, actively lowering the hierarchy, and valuing all members regardless of seniority, sled pairs, or characteristic traits (like a shiny nose).
It’s also important to train team members to fearlessly raise concerns, they add, noting that terms like “Santa’s little helpers” could be seen as derogatory and subordinate.
When their work is finally done they will likely have a team report to confirm what went well and what, if anything, could be improved by next Christmas.
The power of thanking everyone at “Team Christmas” cannot be emphasized enough, they conclude.
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