Emotion has a profound effect on decision-making. As scientists and rational beings, we like to believe that we can control our emotions and make good decisions regardless of the context in which those decisions must be executed — The reality is, that’s far from the truth. Furthermore, we rarely take the opportunity to deliberately examine how emotional valence can influence the choices we make, or how we sort and process information as clinicians. Simulation-based training often provokes strong emotions, both positive and negative, whether we intend it to or not. Sim may be an ideal tool for eliciting challenging emotions — anger, fear, anxiety, joy, prejudice — and developing skills to manage them in real time. Breathe, make better decisions.
In Day Two of the Learning from Sim series, the story continues as our patient transitions from the pre-hospital to the emergency department.
