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Does crew resource management training work?
J Fisher1, E Phillips, J Mather
1LIFE STAR, Hartford Hospital, Hartford, Conn., USA.
Air Medical Journal
|January 6, 2001
Summary
Crew resource management (CRM) training significantly improves safety and team awareness in air medical programs. Trained crews demonstrated better communication and teamwork in various situations compared to untrained crews.
Area of Science:
- Aviation Safety
- Human Factors in Aviation
- Medical Transport Systems
Background:
- Effective crew resource management (CRM) is crucial for enhancing safety in air medical programs.
- Accidents and safety incidents can be reduced through improved crew coordination and awareness.
- Understanding the impact of CRM training is vital for operational effectiveness.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare the responses of air medical crew members with and without CRM training.
- To evaluate the effectiveness of CRM in enhancing crew awareness and team concepts.
- To assess the impact of training on crew interaction in diverse operational scenarios.
Main Methods:
- A 12-month survey of fixed- and rotor-wing air medical program crew members.
- Questionnaires assessed CRM, effective communication, and team-building training.
- Crew interaction and communication were scored using a Likert scale in everyday and emergent situations.
Main Results:
- Crew members who received CRM, team-building, and communication training scored significantly lower (37.96) than those who received no training (44.13).
- A lower score indicated a greater understanding of team awareness and effective communication.
- The difference in scores was statistically significant (P < .05).
Conclusions:
- CRM training demonstrably increases crew awareness in air medical programs.
- Training effectively promotes team concepts and enhances communication in both routine and critical situations.
- Implementing CRM training is recommended for improving overall air medical safety and performance.